The death rate among American children has been rising due to injuries, particularly from guns and drugs, rather than the COVID-19 virus, according to recent mortality data. From 2019 to 2021, the child death rate increased more steeply than it had in at least 50 years, despite advances in medical care and public health. The rise in deaths has been particularly pronounced among Black and Native American children, with disparities in mortality rates widening again. Guns have replaced car accidents as the leading cause of death among children, accounting for almost half of the increase in young people's deaths.