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Olfactory function after mild head injury in children

Valentin A Schriever1, Friederike Studt, Martin Smitka

  • 1Smell & Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, TU Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany. thummel@mail.zih.tu-dresden.de.

Chemical Senses
|February 21, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Mild head trauma in children can impact olfactory function, specifically odor detection thresholds. However, significant long-term olfactory impairment or loss is unlikely after such injuries.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Otolaryngology
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Olfactory impairment is associated with head injury.
  • Olfactory function testing may indicate frontal brain damage after trauma.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the impact of mild head trauma on children's olfactory function.
  • To track olfactory function changes for up to one year post-trauma.

Main Methods:

  • 114 children with mild head trauma (Glasgow Coma Scale) were tested three times over one year.
  • Olfactory function was compared to age-matched healthy controls.
  • Tests included odor threshold and suprathreshold assessments.

Main Results:

  • Children with mild head trauma showed significantly lower odor thresholds than controls, though still within normal limits.
  • No significant differences were observed in suprathreshold testing between groups.
  • Olfactory threshold and discrimination scores did not change significantly over the one-year study period.

Conclusions:

  • Mild head trauma affects children's olfactory function, particularly odor detection.
  • Significant long-term olfactory deficits like hyposmia or anosmia are improbable following mild head trauma in children.

Keywords:
childrenhead injuryolfaction

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