Sequelae after unintentional injuries to children: an exploratory study
Insights
Childhood accidental injuries can lead to significant sequelae, with 10.4% of children experiencing impairments. Major sequelae, often from eye or limb injuries, increased with age, highlighting the need for better injury assessment.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Traumatology
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Accidental injuries are a significant cause of morbidity in children.
- Understanding the long-term consequences (sequelae) of these injuries is crucial for effective prevention and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the frequency and types of sequelae resulting from all categories of accidental injuries in childhood.
- To identify risk factors associated with the development of sequelae in pediatric injury patients.
Main Methods:
- A prospective follow-up study was conducted on a geographically defined population of children under 15 years old near Paris, France.
- Data were collected over a one-year period (1981-82) on 785 children hospitalized or transported by emergency units after an accident.
- Sequelae were defined as physician-identified impairments or complaints, with initial injury severity assessed using the Injury Severity Score (ISS).
Main Results:
- Among 701 children followed for 3.6-29.2 months, 73 (10.4%) developed 80 sequelae.
- Major sequelae, limiting daily activities, occurred in 44 children (6.3%) and increased significantly with age.
- Eye injuries and sports-related limb injuries were the primary causes of major sequelae; the maximum Abbreviated Injury Scale was a better predictor than ISS.
Conclusions:
- Childhood injuries, even those initially perceived as minor like sports-related injuries, can result in significant long-term sequelae.
- Further prospective, population-based studies are necessary to fully understand the burden of pediatric injury sequelae.
Goal:
To determine the frequency and categories of sequelae related to accidental injuries (of all types) in childhood, a prospective follow up study was conducted on a geographically defined population near Paris, France.
Methods:
The study concerned all child residents of one health care district, aged under 15 years, and hospitalised in the two public hospitals of the district, and/or transported by mobile emergency units, after an accident, during a one year period (in 1981-82; n = 785). Initial severity was scored using the injury severity score (ISS). Sequelae were defined as established impairments (leading or not to disabilities), identified by physicians, reporting their clinical diagnosis or complaints by the child and/or the family.
Results:
After a follow up period of 3.6-29.2 months after the accident, six children died and 78 (10%) were lost to follow up. Among the 701 others, 73 (10.4%) presented 80 sequelae, major (limiting daily activities) in 44 children (6.3%), with no gender difference. These increased significantly with age. The main causes of major sequelae were eye injuries and sports related injuries to the limbs. ISS did not correlate well with sequelae, but the maximum abbreviated injury scale appeared to be a better predictor of long term functional prognosis.
Conclusion:
Prospective follow up and population based studies are still needed, especially on children's injuries initially perceived as benign, such as most of the sports related injuries in our study.
