TY - JOUR PY - 2021// TI - Gun safety for children JO - JAMA pediatrics A1 - Byrne, Alexandra A1 - Hagen, Melanie Gross A1 - Thompson, Lindsay SP - ePub EP - ePub VL - ePub IS - ePub N2 - Guns are the number 1 cause of death for children and teenagers in the US. Approximately every 40 minutes, a child or teenager is injured by a gun. Children who live in a home with a gun are at 2 times the risk of homicide and 3 times the risk of suicide. Increased gun sales and isolation during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic increase the risk of youth gun-related injuries. Caregivers can prevent gun-related injuries by talking to their children about gun safety and removing guns from the home or safely storing guns if they are present. Gun Safety The safest home for a child is one without guns. The absence of guns in the home is the most effective way to prevent gun-related injuries. If a family decides to keep guns in the home, the guns should be stored safely. Safe storage means that the gun is unloaded, the gun is locked in a safe or with a trigger lock, ammunition is stored and locked separately, and caregivers should ensure that children cannot access keys or codes to the gun locks or safes.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 2168-6211 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.5989 ID - ref1 ER -