Head injuries in children in Wenchuan earthquake: analysis of 36 cases

Abstract

Objective To analyze the characteristics of head injuries in children in Wenchuan earthquake. Methods The clinical data of 36 children (21 boys and 15 girls, aged 3 monthsto 14 years with a mean age of 8.1 years) with head injuries in the earthquake receiving treatment in West China Hospital were analyzed. The children sustained mild (30 cases), moderate (4 cases) or severe (2 cases) head injuries due to building collapse (30 cases), cuts (3 cases), or falling (3 cases). The injury types, causes of the injury, treatment methods and outcomes of the children were retrospectively analyzed. Results Building collapse was the most common cause of head injuries in the children in earthquake, accounting for 83.3% of the cases involved. All the 36 children survived the injuries, and upon discharge or transfer, 33 of the children had Glasgow outcome scores (GOS) indicating good recovery, and 3 had moderate disabilities. Conclusion Building collapse was the most common cause of head injuries in Wenchuan earthquake. The majority of the children with head injuries had mild injury with favorable outcomes. Attention should be given to appropriate management of skull fractures in these children. Key words: Earthquake; Head injuries; Children