A study in the journal Pediatrics shows that there is a correlation between type of injury and the age of a child. By studying data on injuries and deaths obtained from California hospital records, the researchers were able to determine a leading cause of injury for each three-month period, from newborn to 3 years of age.

From 3 to 5 months, battering is the leading cause of injury. Falls from furniture topped the list for babies 6 to 8 months old. Children 12 to 17 months old are most often victims of hot liquid and vapor injuries. And pedestrian injuries – while walking near motor vehicles – are the leading cause of injury for kids 36 to 47 months old.

Overall, medication poisoning is the highest cause of injury for babies and children younger than 3 (and is highest for those that are between 18 and 35 months).

This study examined child injury differently than studies in the past because it separated the injuries into age-related development stages. By doing this, say the researchers, the data should be more useful to caregivers and pediatricians in developing injury-prevention strategies for each age group.