Fact check: What were the leading causes of child mortality in the USA in 2024?

1. What the source claims loudly — the headline drivers of child deaths

Across the supplied analyses, researchers identify a consistent set of leading causes: prematurity and sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) for infants, and firearms and motor vehicle crashes for ages 1–19 ^{[1] [2]}. These claims appear in peer-reviewed outlets and reviews dated in 2025 that synthesize data through 2022 or 2023 and highlight the same categories as top contributors to child mortality. The convergence of independent studies within the dataset strengthens the conclusion that these causes dominated recent child mortality patterns in the U.S., even if explicit 2024-year tabulations are not presented ^{[1] [2]}.

2. Age matters — infants versus older children tell different stories

The published work separates infants from older children, showing neonatal and infant mortality is driven by prematurity and SUID, while injury-related deaths — especially firearms and motor vehicle crashes — predominate for older children and adolescents ^[1]. This age stratification matters for prevention strategies: perinatal care, safe-sleep interventions, and preterm birth prevention target infants, whereas firearm safety policy, injury prevention, and adolescent mental-health interventions target older children. The studies cited use multi-year datasets (2007–2022/23), which smooth annual fluctuations but may obscure single-year variation for 2024 ^[1].

3. Comparative context — the U.S. stands out among wealthy peers

Analysts report that U.S. children aged under 19 experienced higher mortality than counterparts in other high-income nations over the examined periods, with the identified causes contributing to that excess mortality ^{[1] [2]}. The 2025 JAMA-oriented synthesis emphasizes a gap between the U.S. and OECD-like peers, attributing part of the disparity to higher rates of injury deaths — notably firearm fatalities — and to infant mortality drivers such as prematurity. This frame positions the U.S. pattern not as isolated phenomena but as part of a broader international contrast that has persisted across recent years ^{[2] [1]}.

4. Trends over time — worsening indicators across multiple domains

Beyond cause-of-death tallies, the supplied analyses document deterioration in child health measures between roughly 2007–2023, including rising mortality, more chronic conditions, increasing obesity, and worsening mental-health signals ^{[2] [3]}. These trend statements, published in 2025, synthesize multi-year surveillance and claim notable increases in conditions that influence morbidity and mortality risk. The implication is that underlying social, health-system, and environmental drivers have grown more adverse over the last decade and a half, potentially amplifying the contribution of the top fatal causes already identified ^{[2] [3]}.

5. Consistency, limitations, and what is missing for 2024 specificity

While the sources are consistent about leading causes through 2022–2023, none of the provided analyses supply a direct, single-year dataset labeled “2024”; the studies synthesize 2007–2022 or 2007–2023 data and are published in 2025 ^{[1] [2]}. This means any statement that cites “leading causes in 2024” is an extrapolation rather than a direct report. Additionally, all sources are treated as potentially biased and draw on overlapping datasets; therefore, precision about annual shifts, seasonal anomalies, or policy effects specific to 2024 cannot be fully affirmed without additional 2024-specific vital statistics or CDC provisional death data.

6. Alternative viewpoints and possible agendas in the literature

The analyses emphasize injury prevention and perinatal care, which aligns with public-health agendas advocating policy and systems change. The framing highlighting firearms as a leading cause among older children can reflect advocacy pressures for firearm-safety measures, while emphasis on prematurity and SUID underscores maternal-child health and social-determinant interventions ^{[1] [2]}. Readers should note that studies synthesizing long periods can be used selectively to support policy priorities; the convergent facts here nonetheless point to tangible targets for intervention: neonatal care, safe-sleep, firearm safety, and traffic safety ^[1].

7. Bottom line and recommended next steps for verification

Based on the provided analyses, the best-supported statement is that prematurity and sudden unexpected infant death were leading causes of infant mortality, and firearm injuries plus motor vehicle crashes dominated deaths among older children and adolescents in recent U.S. data through 2022–2023 ^{[1] [2]}. To confirm whether 2024 followed the same pattern, consult 2024 provisional and finalized mortality files from the CDC/NCHS and peer-reviewed updates; doing so would move claims from well-supported extrapolation to direct evidence.