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A retrospective study of head-injured children admitted to two hospitals in Cape Town
Insights
Head injuries in children under 15 were studied in the Cape Peninsula. Transport-related incidents, falls, and assault/abuse were the leading causes, with transport injuries often being more severe.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Traumatology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Head injuries represent a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in children.
- Understanding the specific patterns and causes of pediatric head injuries is crucial for developing targeted prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the epidemiological patterns of head injuries in children under 15 years old in the Cape Peninsula.
- To identify the primary causes and demographic characteristics associated with pediatric head injuries.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective study analyzing hospital admission records for head injuries in children under 15.
- Data were collected from Groote Schuur Hospital and Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital between July 1966 and June 1981.
- Analysis included demographic data, injury mechanisms, and injury severity.
Main Results:
- A total of 1,820 pediatric head injury admissions were analyzed.
- Falls were the most common cause in infants (<1 year), while transport-related injuries predominated in older children (1-14 years).
- Pedestrian accidents were the most frequent type of transport-related head injury, and these injuries were associated with higher severity.
Conclusions:
- Head injuries in children are significantly influenced by age and socioeconomic factors.
- Transport-related incidents, falls, and assault/abuse are the primary contributors to pediatric head injuries.
- Prevention efforts should focus on reducing transport-related risks and addressing falls and abuse in children.
Abstract:
A retrospective study was undertaken to describe the patterns of head injury in children in the Cape Peninsula. Information was abstracted from Groote Schuur Hospital and Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital records for all children aged under 15 years admitted with head injury between July 1966 and June 1981. Data were collected on 1 820 admissions. There were significantly higher percentages of Coloureds and Blacks, males and children aged under 6 years in the sample than in the corresponding population of the Cape Peninsula. In children under 1 year old, fails accounted for approximately 70% of head injuries in all three race groups. In the 1-5-year age group, transport-related injuries were the most common cause of admission in Blacks (63,1%) and Coloureds (46,5%), but in Whites falls were still most common (58,2%). In the 6-14-year age group, transport-related accidents accounted for approximately 64% of head injuries in all three race groups. Pedestrian accidents were the commonest cause of admissions due to transport-related head injury. Severe or very severe concussive injuries, multiple injuries or death occurred more commonly in transport-related injuries than among those caused by falls or assault/abuse. Transport, falls and assault/abuse together accounted for 88,4% of all causes of head injury.