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Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
Neurotrauma pediatric scales
Alexandru Vlad Ciurea1, Aurelia Mihaela Sandu, Mihai Popescu
1Emergency Clinical Hospital Bagdasar-Arseni, 1st Department of General Surgery, UMF "Carol Davila", Bucharest. rsn@bagdasar-arseni.ro
Insights
Pediatric cranial trauma assessment requires age-specific approaches. This review details specialized neurotrauma scales for infants and children, adapting adult scales for accurate evaluation and outcome prediction.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric neurology
- Trauma care
- Neurocritical care
Background:
- Cranial traumas present unique challenges in pediatric populations, varying significantly across developmental stages (infants to teenagers).
- Standard adult trauma scales often require adaptation for children due to age-related specificities and anatomical differences.
- Individualized assessment is crucial for effective management of pediatric head injuries.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and present neurotrauma assessment scales specifically designed or adapted for pediatric patients.
- To provide a comprehensive overview of scales for grading severity and predicting outcomes in pediatric traumatic brain injury.
- To establish thorough pediatric neurotrauma standards through an exhaustive presentation of relevant scales.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of existing neurotrauma scales applicable to pediatric populations.
- Categorization of scales into those for acute assessment (severity) and those for outcome prediction.
- Detailed description and analysis of scales including Pediatric Coma Scale, Children's Coma Score, Trauma Infant Neurological Score, Glasgow Coma Scale, Liege Scale, Glasgow Outcome Scale, modified Rankin score, KOSCHI score, and Barthel Index.
Main Results:
- Identified and reviewed multiple pediatric-specific neurotrauma scales (e.g., Pediatric Coma Scale, Children's Coma Score).
- Reviewed established adult scales (e.g., Glasgow Coma Scale, Glasgow Outcome Scale) and discussed their adaptation for pediatric use.
- Presented a comprehensive list of scales for both acute injury assessment and long-term outcome evaluation in children.
Conclusions:
- Age-appropriate neurotrauma scales are essential for accurate assessment and outcome prediction in pediatric head injuries.
- The reviewed scales provide a foundation for developing standardized, evidence-based guidelines for pediatric neurotrauma care.
- Further validation and standardization of these pediatric scales are recommended for optimal clinical practice.
Abstract:
Cranial traumas have different particularities in infants, toddlers, preschool child, school child and teenagers. The assessment of these cases must be individualized according to age. It is completely different in children that in adults. Trauma scales, very useful in grading the severity and predicting outcome in traumatic brain injury, used in adults must be adapted in children. Children have age-related specificity and anatomic particularities, for each of this period of development. Neurotrauma scales, specific for infants and children, such as Pediatric Coma Scale, Children's Coma Score, Trauma Infant Neurological Score, Glasgow Coma Scale, Liege Scale are reviewed, as well as neurotrauma outcome scales, like Glasgow Outcome Scale, modified Rankin score, KOSCHI score and Barthel Index. The authors present these scales in an exhaustive manner for thoroughgoing pediatric neurotrauma standards.
