Air-gun pellet injuries to the head and neck in children

Air-gun pellet injuries to the head and neck are seldom reported in pediatric practice, although they typically occur in children. The adult skeleton stops these projectiles, but they can easily transverse the thin bones of children. If unnoticed, these apparently trivial injuries may have catastrophic consequences. We report three children who sustained a central nervous system injury resulting from a shot by a compressed-air gun. The true nature and extent of the lesion in two infants was established only by neuroradiological investigations. We also briefly review the management and prevention of this type of injury.