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Trauma in Children during Lockdown for SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic. A Brief Report
Daniela Dibello1, Marcella Salvemini1, Carlo Amati1
1Unit of Pediatric Orthopaedics and Traumatology Giovanni XXIII Children's Hospital, University of Bari, 70126 Bari, Italy.
Insights
The Italian national lockdown significantly reduced pediatric trauma admissions. However, the proportion of fractures increased among younger children, indicating more severe injuries during home confinement.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Orthopedics
- Trauma Epidemiology
- Public Health Policy
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated unprecedented public health measures, including national lockdowns.
- Understanding the impact of these lockdowns on pediatric injuries is crucial for healthcare planning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effect of the Italian national lockdown on the incidence and characteristics of pediatric trauma.
- To compare trauma admissions during lockdown with pre-lockdown periods.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of pediatric orthopedic trauma admissions between March 11 and April 11, 2020.
- Comparison of demographic data, injury type, location, and hospitalization needs with data from 2018 and 2019.
Main Results:
- A significant decrease in total trauma admissions was observed in 2020 (n=69) compared to 2019 (n=261) and 2018 (n=289).
- Patients admitted in 2020 were significantly younger.
- The rate of fractures significantly increased in 2020 compared to minor trauma.
Conclusions:
- Home confinement effectively reduced emergency department visits for pediatric trauma by limiting outdoor, school, and sports activities.
- The lockdown period was associated with an increased proportion of fractures, affecting younger children and leading to worse prognoses.
Purpose:
The national lockdown established by the Italian government began on the 11th of March 2020 as a means to control the spread of SARS-CoV-2 infections. The purpose of this brief report is to evaluate the effect of the national lockdown on the occurrence and characteristics of trauma in children during lockdown.
Methods:
All children admitted to our paediatric orthopaedic unit with a diagnosis of fracture or trauma, including sprains and contusions, between 11 March 2020 and 11 April 2020, were retrospectively reviewed. Their demographic data, type of injury, anatomical location and need for hospitalisation were compared with the equivalent data of children admitted for trauma in the same period of 2018 and 2019.
Results:
Sixty-nine patients with trauma were admitted in 2020, with a significant decrease in comparison with 2019 (n = 261) and 2018 (n = 289) (p < 0.01). The patients were significantly younger, and the rate of fractures significantly increased in 2020 (p < 0.01).
Conclusions:
Home confinement decreased admissions to the emergency department for trauma by shutting down outdoor activities, schools and sports activities. However, the rate of fractures increased in comparison with minor trauma, involved younger children and had a worse prognosis.
