The First Cause of Traumatic Death in Children < 1 Year: A Review on Abusive Head Trauma

Abstract

Context: Pediatric abusive head trauma (AHT) can be defined as an injury to the skull or intracranial contents of a child under the age of 5 due to inflicted blunt impact or violent shaking. Evidence Acquisition: AHT is the most common cause of traumatic death in children younger than 1 year, and it is the leading cause of death due to child abuse. Clinical presentation observed in children with AHT depends on the type of AHT and accompanying injuries. History and physical examination are important for diagnosing AHT and for distinguishing it from other conditions that can mimic shaken baby syndrome, such as accidental trauma, cancer, metabolic diseases, and others. Results: Progress in research on the medical diagnosis of AHT has been remarkable, while the development of treatment strategies has been limited. For these reasons, there is an urgent need to develop effective treatment strategies for AHT able to improve the outcomes. Conclusions: The construction of a nationwide database that supports clinical studies is required in the future.