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Minor head injury at paediatric age in Argentina
A Murgio1, J Fernandez Milà, A Manolio
1Argentinian Society of Paediatrics.
Insights
Paediatric head injuries in Mar del Plata are 2.97 times higher than the international average. This study highlights the need for enhanced accident prevention measures for children to reduce head trauma incidence.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Investigating the epidemiology of paediatric head injuries in Mar del Plata, Argentina.
- Assessing factors associated with head trauma in children aged 0-15 years.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate epidemiologic factors related to paediatric head injury.
- To determine the incidence and characteristics of head injuries in children.
Main Methods:
- Conducted a 12-month retrospective and 6-month prospective study of 2,492 children with head injuries.
- Collected data on demographics, injury cause, time, hospitalization, and fracture detection via X-ray and CT scans.
Main Results:
- Males constituted 62% of cases; falls were common in younger children, car accidents in older children.
- 84.7% of injuries occurred between 12:00 and 24:00 hrs; 19.9% required hospitalization.
- Skull fractures detected in 14.9% via X-ray, correlating with CT scans; incidence was 566 per 100,000 population.
Conclusions:
- Paediatric head injury incidence in Mar del Plata is significantly higher than the international average.
- Findings suggest a critical need for improved accident prevention strategies for children.
Background:
To evaluate epidemiologic factors in relation to paediatric head injury in the city of Mar del Plata, Argentina.
Methods:
Retrospective (12-month) and prospective (6-month) evaluations were carried out on a total of 2,492 children with head injury (age range 0-15 years), taking into account sex, age, cause of injury, time of injury, incidence of hospitalisation, and the occurrence of fractures on conventional X-ray and computarized tomography (CT) scans of the head. Data were compiled and analyzed through a register called "Traumatic Brain Injury Register".
Results:
From the total 2,492 children entered in the registry, 62% were males and 38% females. Age distribution was as follows: 33.5% from 0-2 years, 43.8% from 3-9 years, and 22.7% from 10-15 years. Falls were the main cause of head injury in children under 3 years of age, whereas car accidents prevailed among older groups (chi2 = 216.00, p<0.0001). Injuries occurred most frequently (84.7% of the cases) between 12:00 hrs and 24:00 hrs. From the total sample, 1,015 children (19.9%) required hospitalisation. Skull fractures were identified on conventional X-rays in 14.9% of the cases, and there was a direct relationship between skull X-rays and CT scans with respect to skull fractures (chi2 = 13.13, p<0.0001). The overall incidence of paediatric head injuries was 566 cases per 100,000 population and mortality rate was 4.65 per 1,000 head injuries.
Conclusions:
Our figures revealed an overall incidence of paediatric head injuries, which is 2.97 higher than the international average, suggesting that accident prevention measures should be further implemented.