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Management and classification of children with head injury
A-C Falk1, C Cederfjäll, L von Wendt
1Pediatric ICU, Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital/Karolinska Hospital, 171 76, Stockholm, Sweden. ann-charlotte.falk@karolinska.se
Insights
Pediatric head trauma management was evaluated. The Scandinavian Head Injury Classification better reflected patient outcomes than ICD-10 for children with head injuries.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Trauma Surgery
- Neurology
Background:
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability in children.
- Head trauma is a common reason for pediatric emergency department visits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the initial management of pediatric head trauma.
- To classify head injuries in children using the Scandinavian Head Injury Classification and ICD-10 criteria.
Main Methods:
- A prospective study of children aged 0-15 years admitted for head trauma.
- Inclusion criteria: history of head injury, emergency department admission.
- Data collected over one month at a single pediatric trauma center.
Main Results:
- 242 children (137 girls, 105 boys; mean age 5.3 years) were included.
- Scandinavian Head Injury Classification: 73% minimal, 17% mild, 2% moderate head injury.
- This classification system proved more accurate than ICD-10 for managing pediatric head trauma.
Conclusions:
- The Scandinavian Head Injury Classification is a valuable tool for assessing pediatric head trauma severity.
- Accurate classification aids in appropriate management and resource allocation for pediatric head injury cases.
Background:
Traumatic brain injury is the most common cause of morbidity and mortality during childhood.
Aim:
This study was conducted to describe the primary management and classification of children admitted to the emergency department for head trauma. SERIES: All children (0-15 years) with a history of head injury who were admitted to the outpatient emergency department at a single paediatric trauma centre in the Stockholm region during 1 month were included.
Results:
There were 242 children (137 girls and 105 boys; mean age 5.3+/-4.4 years) who fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Based on the Scandinavian Head Injury Classification, 73% were classified as minimal, 17% mild and 2% moderate head injury. This classification seemed to be more accurately reflective than the ICD-10-based classification in the management of the children with head trauma.
