Traumatic odontoid epiphysiolysis in an infant fixed in a child's car seat

Abstract

The use of restraints has decisively reduced the mortality and morbidity of children in cars (see IRRD 265122). However, seat belt injuries to blood vessels, chest cage, lumbar spine and viscera, predominantly in adults have been reported in a paper by Williams,JS and Kirkpatrick,JR, entitled 'The nature of seat belt injuries' published in the Journal of Trauma 1971 v11 p207. Injuries to the adult cervical spine that can be related to the proper use of seat belts are rare (see IRRD 239103). This paper illustrates a case of epiphysiolysis of the dens axis in an infant occurring in a traffic accident, although she was fixed properly in an approved child's car seat with an internal seat belt.