Abstract
Age-based differences in fall type and neuroanatomy in infants and toddlers may affect clinical presentations and injury patterns. ObjectiveOur goal is to understand the influence of fall type and age on injuries to help guide clinical evaluation. Design/Setting/ParticipantsRetrospectively, 285 children 0–48months with accidental head injury from a fall and brain imaging between 2000 and 2006 were categorized by age (infan≤1 year and toddler=1–4 years) and fall type: low (≤3ft), intermediate (>3 and <10ft), high height falls (≥10ft) and stair falls. Outcome MeasuresClinical manifestations were noted and head injuries separated into primary (bleeding) and secondary (hypoxia, edema). The influence of age and fall type on head injuries sustained was evaluated. ResultsInjury patterns in children <4 years varied with age. Despite similar injury severity scores, infants sustained more skull fractures than toddlers (71% vs. 39%). Of children with skull fractures, 11% had no evidence of scalp/facial soft tissue swelling. Of the patients with primary intracranial injury, 30% had no skull fracture and 8% had neither skull fracture nor cranial soft tissue injury. Low height falls resulted in primary intracranial injury without soft tissue or skull injury in infants (6%) and toddlers (16%). ConclusionsWithin a given fall type, age-related differences in injuries exist between infants and toddlers. When interpreting a fall history, clinicians must consider the fall type and influence of age on resulting injury. For young children, intracranial injury is not always accompanied by external manifestations of their injury.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
More From: International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.