Picture Emerges of How Kids Get Head Injuries

Researchers from the Washington University of Medicine in St. Louis and the University of California, Davis, School of Medicine have compiled a large-scale study of juvenile head injuries which provides extensive data regarding typical causes of injury and extent of damage. The study was published in The New England Journal of Medicine. A total of 43,399 patients ranging in age from birth to 17 were studied utilizing data from 25 hospitals throughout 2004-2006. General trends indicated that falls were the primary cause of brain trauma from birth until age 12, while teenage patients were more likely to be injured by automobile accidents, sports accidents and assaults. “We have distilled a wide range of important features regarding blunt head trauma in children. The findings may provide reliable guideposts in developing injury-prevention measures and should help physicians in diagnosing and treating these injuries based on strong evidence,” said the author. The study highlights that 37 percent of juvenile patients were given CT scans, a highly debated procedure due to the radiation exposure involved. Only seven percent of those given CT scans were shown to have any form of brain trauma, drawing into question if the scans were worth the calculated risk to young patients. To learn more about this study, click here.