Gun-Related Injuries Put 20,000 Children a Year in ER

Gunfire killed about 4,500 U.S. children and adolescents in 2015, and it sends about 20,000 to the emergency room each year, according to a new review by Children’s National Health System. Adolescents aged 12 to 19 comprise 90 percent of those ER visits.

The study by researchers at Children’s National Health System, published this week in Hospital Pediatrics, shows firearm-related mortality is one of the top four causes of death among American youth. Each day, about 20 Americans under age 21 are hospitalized for firearm-related injuries. Of the children who are hospitalized, about 50 percent are discharged with a disability. The yearly cost of medical treatment for gun-related injuries suffered by those adolescents exceeds $330 million, according to 2010 data.

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Data show that children are more likely than adults to be victims of unintentional injuries, the majority of which occur in the home, and adolescents are more likely to suffer intentional injuries because of either assault or suicide attempts. One-third of pediatric gun injuries treated in ERs or at ambulatory care centers from 2001 to 2010 were related to attempted homicide or suicide, but the majority were unintentional or accidental injuries.

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But earlier this year, in a decision gun-safety advocates viewed as a victory, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals struck down a 2011 Florida gag order that prohibited doctors from talking with their patients about guns. Critics of the measure said the law unjustly punished medical professionals for discussing responsible gun ownership and firearm safety with patients, while supporters argued such medical discussions would infringe upon an individual’s right to bear arms and push an anti-gun agenda.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/health/healthtrending/gun-related-injuries-put-20000-children-a-year-in-er/ar-BBBwOK3?li=BBnbfcL

Evidently, the right-wing gun lobby believes that it is too dangerous to the holy Second Amendment to make sure that our children can live in a safe environment.