INDIANAPOLIS — The Trauma Medical Director at Riley Hospital for Children tells WRTV they're seeing an increase in the number of kids with gunshot injuries and that those injuries are more severe.
"Regardless of the mechanism of that injury, and the things that have led to it, it’s still a kid," Dr. Matt Landman said. "From the janitor that cleans the room at the end of a trauma resuscitation, all the way up to the president of our hospital, we are all affected by what we see happen to kids."
As of the end of May, Riley Hospital had treated 15 kids with gunshot wounds. Between 2017-2021, 224 kids were treated. The data does not break down how the gunshot wound happened (crossfire, accidental, suicide, etc).
Landman says they see these patients on a weekly basis.
"We’ve seen a lot of injuries that involve serious injuries to the chest or the abdomen that have required immediate surgery, and sometimes multiple surgeries over the course of several days and weeks," Landman said.
Research published earlier this yearfound guns killed more people between the ages of 1 and 19 in the U.S. than car crashes, drug overdoses and cancer in 2020.
During that year, 4,300 young people died from gun-related injuries, marking nearly a 30% increase from 2019.
Aside from the physical injury, Landman says he sees a mental health effect as well. He's concerned about access to mental health resources in Indiana. For those who survive, many have acute stress disorder.
"[There are] nightmares, reliving these types of events, and that can eventually lead to post-traumatic stress disorder in these very young patients and it can be quite difficult to treat," Landman said. "We see injuries in all types of patients, from all types of locations, from blocks away from our hospital to the most rural of counties in our state ... it is here, it is everywhere."
RELATED: Mayo Clinic lists 5 signs to look for if your child needs mental health support
Landman encourages parents to talk to kids about gun safety, even if a gun is not in their home. It's also important to make sure any guns are locked up and secured.
The Indianapolis Public Library has free gun locks available as part of a partnership with the Marion County Sheriff's Office. Patrons can ask a staff member at their nearest branch location for a free lock. If the branch does not have any locks on hand, staff can request as many as the patron needs and they will be sent to the branch in 1-5 business days.
