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Updated: Aug 11, 2026
Controlled Cortical Impact Model for Traumatic Brain Injury
Published on: August 5, 2014
Clinicoepidemiologic Profile of Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury: Experience of a Tertiary Care Hospital From
Priyanka Madaan1,2, Deepak Agrawal3, Deepak Gupta3
1Child Neurology Division, Department of Pediatrics, 29751All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India.
Insights
Pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) in India predominantly affects boys, with accidental falls being the most common cause. Most injuries are mild, but severe TBI requires urgent intervention.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
Background:
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a significant cause of acquired brain injury in children.
- Pediatric head injuries represent a substantial public health concern, accounting for one-third of all head injuries.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the clinicoepidemiologic profile of pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) in India.
- To identify common causes, injury severity, and outcomes of TBI in children.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of medical records of children (≤16 years) with TBI over four years at a North Indian apex trauma center.
- Inclusion criteria: children presenting with suspected head injury; data collected included demographics, Glasgow Coma Scale scores, neuroimaging findings, and injury mechanisms.
Main Results:
- Out of 15,000+ suspected head injuries, 4833 were pediatric TBI cases, with 1074 hospital admissions.
- The majority (65%) were boys, with a mean age of 6.6 years. Most presented with mild TBI (Glasgow Coma Scale 13-15), while 10% had severe TBI (Glasgow Coma Scale ≤8).
- Accidental falls (59%) were the leading cause, followed by road traffic accidents (34%). Skull fractures were the most common neuroimaging abnormality (seen in 50% of inpatients).
Conclusions:
- Pediatric TBI in India is more prevalent in boys and frequently results from accidental falls.
- While most cases present as mild TBI, a significant proportion experience severe injuries, highlighting the need for targeted prevention and management strategies.
Abstract:
Traumatic brain injury is an important cause of acquired brain injury. The current study brings to light the clinicoepidemiologic profile of pediatric traumatic brain injury in India. Retrospective record analysis of children (aged ≤ 16 years) with traumatic brain injury presenting to an apex-trauma-center in North India over 4 years was done. Of more than 15 000 patients with a suspected head injury, 4833 were children ≤16 years old. Of these, 1074 were admitted to the inpatient department; 65% were boys with a mean age at presentation being 6.6 years. Most patients (85%) had a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 13 to 15 at presentation while Glasgow Coma Scale scores of ≤8 was seen in 10% of patients. Neuroimaging (computed tomography [CT]) abnormalities were seen in 12% of patients, with the commonest abnormality being skull fracture, followed by contusions, and extradural hemorrhage. Around 2% of patients required decompressive craniotomy whereas 3% of patients succumbed to their illness.Among the inpatients with pediatric traumatic brain injury, two-thirds were boys with a mean age at presentation of 7.6 years. Severity of traumatic brain injury varied as mild (64%), moderate (11%), and severe (25%). The most common mode of injury was accidental falls (59%) followed by road traffic and rail accidents (34%). Neuroimaging abnormalities were seen in half of inpatients with pediatric traumatic brain injury, with the commonest abnormality being skull fracture. Pediatric head injuries are an important public health problem and constitute a third of all head injuries. They are more common in boys, and the most common modes of injury are accidental falls, followed by road traffic accidents.
