Pediatric firearm injuries: A Midwest experience

Retrospective analysis of 236 pediatric firearm injuries at a Level 1 Trauma Center reveals distinct patterns by age and geography. Younger children (≤12 years) experienced higher operative intervention rates and were predominantly injured accidentally by known individuals, while adolescents were more often victims of assault by strangers. Notably, small cities had the highest injury rates when adjusted for population, with accidental discharges predominating across all age groups in these areas.