Background Injury is the first death cause of children aged 1–17 in China, and among the first 10 death causes in this population, there are five different types of injuries.

Aims/Objectives/Purpose To describe the characteristics of injuries among children aged 0–18 in China.

Methods Data collected from China National Injury Surveillance System that based on emergency and outpatient department of 127 sentinel hospitals around the whole country in 2010 were analysed. Mechanism, intent, nature, severity and outcome of injury, as well as local where injury occurred, activity while injury occurred, and primary body part affected were summarised.

Results/Outcomes All 92% of the injuries were unintentional. The first three causes of injuries among children aged 0–18 were falling, road traffic injury (RTI) and blunt injury, which caused more than 75% of the injuries. More than half of the injuries happened at home or on the highway/street. All 65% of the injuries were happened during recreational activities. And 48% of the cases were bruises or abrasions. More than 86% of the injuries affected head, upper or lower trunk. All 98% of the injuries were mild or moderate, and 85% of the injuries were healed.

Significance/Contribution to the Field It's necessary to have a good understanding of the characteristics of child injuries for child injury prevention, such as the determination of the emphasis, the arrangement of the resources, as well as the development of preventive policy and measurement.