Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 28, 2026
Murine Model of Controlled Cortical Impact for the Induction of Traumatic Brain Injury
Published on: August 16, 2019
Traumatic brain injury in children in Denmark: a national 15-year study
1Department of Neurology, Odense University Hospital, Denmark.
Insights
Traumatic brain injuries in children declined, particularly in boys aged 5-14, indicating successful prevention. However, mortality from severe head injuries remained constant, highlighting a need for improved acute care.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Traumatology
- Public Health Surveillance
- Epidemiology of Childhood Injuries
Background:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) pose a significant health burden in children.
- Understanding demographic trends in pediatric TBI is crucial for effective prevention and care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze demographic trends of traumatic brain injuries in Danish children (0-14 years) from 1979-1993.
- To identify changes in incidence, mortality, and long-term outcomes of pediatric TBI.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a national computer-based hospitalization register for data collection.
- Included 49,594 children with diagnoses of concussion, cranial fractures, and intracranial contusions/haemorrhages.
- Analyzed injury data over a 15-year period (1979-1993).
Main Results:
- Overall decline in TBI incidence, notably in boys aged 5-14, suggesting effective preventive measures.
- Incidence of fatal intracranial contusions/haemorrhages halved, but mortality proportion remained stable at ~22%.
- Significant number of survivors of intracranial contusions/haemorrhages received disability pensions before age 30.
Conclusions:
- Preventive strategies, especially in road safety, appear successful in reducing pediatric TBI.
- Lack of significant improvement in acute care for severe head injuries contributed to constant mortality rates.
- Long-term disability remains a considerable consequence for survivors of severe pediatric TBI.
Abstract:
Demographic trends are reported concerning three types of traumatic brain injury (concussions, cranial fractures, and intracranial contusions/haemorrhages) among children in Denmark of ages up to and including 14 years, for a fifteen year period from 1979 through 1993. The data were derived from a national computer-based hospitalization register and include 49,594 children, of whom 60% were boys and 89% had suffered a concussion. Virtually all injuries were the result of accidents. A major finding was that there has been a general decline in the incidence of traumatic brain injuries, especially for boys from 5 to 14 years old, suggesting a degree of success in preventive measures, particularly regarding road safety. The incidence of fatal cases of intracranial contusions/haemorrhages approximately halved over the 15 year period. However, as a proportion of all diagnosed cases, mortality from intracranial contusions/haemorrhages remained fairly constant at about 22%, perhaps because there have been no markedly successful innovations in acute care. Among children surviving a intracranial contusions/haemorrhages, rather considerable numbers were found to have been awarded disability pension at ages under 30.
