Closed-head injury hospitalization

Abstract

Pediatric minor closed-head injuries might not require hospitalization if a child's computerized tomographic (CT) scans and neurological exams are normal, according to a study in the April issue of Pediatric Emergency Care . Sixty-two patients seen through an urban university children's hospital emergency department were hospitalized with mild closed-head injuries. Patients ranged in age from 18 months to 17 years. Most were injured in motor-vehicle accidents or falls. Thirty-seven percent had lost consciousness for one to five minutes after the injury, and 6 percent experienced a-seizure.