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Scooter injuries in children
D A Levine1, S L Platt, G L Foltin
1Departments of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine/Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, Bellevue Hospital Center, New York, New York 10016, USA. mlevine336@aol.com
Insights
Nonmotorized scooter injuries in children are common and can be serious, especially head and facial trauma. Proper protective gear and adult supervision are crucial for preventing these preventable injuries.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Injury Prevention
- Public Health
Background:
- Nonmotorized scooters are popular among children, leading to a rise in related injuries.
- Understanding the patterns and severity of these injuries is essential for effective prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To document the types and circumstances of nonmotorized scooter injuries in children.
- To raise public awareness and advocate for preventative measures against these injuries.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive study analyzed a consecutive series of pediatric patients presenting with scooter-related injuries.
- Data collected included patient demographics, injury details, protective gear use, and medical outcomes.
- Medical records from a municipal hospital's Pediatric Emergency Service (PES) were reviewed.
Main Results:
- Fifteen children (mean age 7.8 years, 73% male) were treated for scooter injuries.
- Most injuries (90%) resulted from falls; head trauma (33%) and facial injuries (47%) were common, with fractures (47%) also significant.
- Few children wore helmets (13%) or protective padding, and adult supervision was present in only half the cases.
Conclusions:
- Nonmotorized scooter use poses risks of serious injury to children, including head trauma and fractures.
- Preventable injuries underscore the need for increased public awareness, parental education, and consistent use of protective gear and supervision.
Objective:
To describe a series of nonmotorized scooter-related injuries to children to increase public awareness and encourage prevention of such injuries.
Design:
A descriptive study of a consecutive series of patients.
Setting:
The pediatric emergency service of a municipal hospital.
Participants:
All children <18 years old who presented to the Pediatric Emergency Service (PES) with a scooter-related injury from July through September 2000.
Methods:
Patients were identified by review of the PES medical records. Charts were reviewed for patient data including age, place of injury, use of protective gear, adult supervision, injury sustained, medical management, and disposition.
Results:
There were 15 children treated in the PES for scooter-related injuries. The mean age was 7.8 years, 73% were male. Approximately 90% of injuries occurred as a result of falling off a scooter. Irregular pavement caused 3 falls and tandem riding caused 2 falls. Inability to use the foot brake caused 1 collision, and 1 child was hit by a motor vehicle while crossing the street. Injuries occurred in a park (33%), on a sidewalk (47%), in a home (13%), and on the street (7%). Adult supervision was present in half of the cases. Only 2 children were wearing helmets at the time of injury; none wore protective padding. Five children (33%) suffered head trauma; 1 lost consciousness, and 2 suffered amnesia. Three children required a head computed tomography scan, and 1 required cervical spine radiographs. All radiographs were negative. None of these 5 children were wearing helmets. Seven children (47%) sustained facial injuries, and 4 of these children required laceration repair. Seven children (47%) sustained extremity trauma, including 1 laceration and 6 fractures (1 supracondylar, 1 distal radius, 2 radius/ulnar, 1 tibia/fibula, and 1 patella). Four fractures involved the upper extremity. Four fractures were managed by closed reduction; 2 required operative repair. One child required splinting of an avulsed tooth. Three of the children (20%) were admitted. The 5 children with head trauma were observed and released.
Conclusion:
The use of nonmotorized scooters by children may result in serious injury, particularly in the young child. Although not life-threatening, these injuries require significant medical intervention and may result in permanent functional and cosmetic deformity. These injuries are potentially preventable with the proper use of protective gear and supervision. Public and parental awareness and education are essential to prevent additional injuries.