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Larsson G, Larsson S, Strand V, Magnusson C, Andersson Hagiwara M. Pediatric trauma patients in Swedish ambulance services -a retrospective observational study of assessments, interventions, and clinical outcomes. Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med 2024; 32:51. [PMID: 38840226 PMCID: PMC11151517 DOI: 10.1186/s13049-024-01222-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pediatric trauma patients constitute a significant portion of the trauma population treated by Swedish Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and trauma remains a notable cause of death among Swedish children. Previous research has identified potential challenges in prehospital assessments and interventions for pediatric patients. In Sweden, there is limited information available regarding pediatric trauma patients in the EMS. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of pediatric trauma patients within the Swedish EMS and describe the prehospital assessments, interventions, and clinical outcomes. METHODS This retrospective observational study was conducted in a region of Southwestern Sweden. A random sample from ambulance and hospital records from the year 2019 was selected. Inclusion criteria were children aged 0-16 years who were involved in trauma and assessed by EMS clinicians. RESULTS A total of 440 children were included in the study, representing 8.4% of the overall trauma cases. The median age was 9 years (IQR 3-12), and 60.5% were male. The leading causes of injury were low (34.8%) and high energy falls (21%), followed by traffic accidents. The children were assessed as severely injured in 4.5% of cases. A quarter of the children remained at the scene after assessment. Complete vital signs were assessed in 29.3% of children, and 81.8% of children were assessed according to the ABCDE structure. The most common intervention performed by prehospital professionals was the administration of medication. The mortality rate was 0.2%. CONCLUSIONS Pediatric trauma cases accounted for 8.4% of the overall trauma population with a variations in injury mechanisms and types. Vital sign assessments were incomplete for a significant proportion of children. The adherence to the ABCDE structure, however, was higher. The children remained at the scene after assessment requires further investigation for patient safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Glenn Larsson
- Centre for Prehospital Research, Faculty of Caring Science, Work Life and Social Welfare, University of Borås, Borås, SE-501 90, Sweden
- Department of Prehospital Emergency Care, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
- PICTA, Prehospital Innovation arena, Lindholmen Science Park, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Sanna Larsson
- Centre for Prehospital Research, Faculty of Caring Science, Work Life and Social Welfare, University of Borås, Borås, SE-501 90, Sweden
| | - Viktoria Strand
- Centre for Prehospital Research, Faculty of Caring Science, Work Life and Social Welfare, University of Borås, Borås, SE-501 90, Sweden
| | - Carl Magnusson
- Centre for Prehospital Research, Faculty of Caring Science, Work Life and Social Welfare, University of Borås, Borås, SE-501 90, Sweden
- Department of Prehospital Emergency Care, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Magnus Andersson Hagiwara
- Centre for Prehospital Research, Faculty of Caring Science, Work Life and Social Welfare, University of Borås, Borås, SE-501 90, Sweden.
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Eimer C, Buschmann C, Deeken J, Kerner T. Mechanical trauma in children and adolescents in Berlin. Forensic Sci Med Pathol 2024:10.1007/s12024-024-00814-7. [PMID: 38625460 DOI: 10.1007/s12024-024-00814-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Management of severe pediatric trauma remains challenging. Injury patterns vary according to patient age and trauma mechanism. This study analyzes trauma mechanisms in deceased pediatric patients. Fatal pediatric trauma cases aged 0-18 years who underwent forensic autopsy in the Federal State of Berlin, Germany, between 2008 until 2018 were enrolled in this retrospective study. Autopsy protocols were analyzed regarding demographic characteristics, trauma mechanisms, injury patterns, resuscitation measures, survival times as well as place, and cause of death. 71 patients (73% male) were included. Traffic accidents (40%) were the leading cause of trauma, followed by falls from height > 3 m (32%), railway accidents (13%), third party violence (11%) and other causes (4%). While children under 14 years of age died mostly due to traumatic brain injury (59%), polytrauma was the leading cause of death in patients > 14 years (55%). Other causes of death were hemorrhage (9%), thoracic trauma (1%) or other (10%). A suicidal background was proven in 24%. In the age group of > 14 years, 40% of all mortalities were suicides. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was carried out in 39% of all patients. 42% of the patients died at the scene. Children between 0 and 14 years of age died most frequently from traumatic brain injury. In adolescents between 14 and 18 years of age, polytrauma was mostly the cause of death with a high coincidence of suicidal deaths. The frequency of fatal traffic accidents and suicides shows the need to improve accident and suicide prevention for children and adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Eimer
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Str. 3, Kiel, Germany.
| | - Claas Buschmann
- Institute of Legal Medicine, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel / Lübeck, Germany
| | - Jonas Deeken
- Asklepios Medical School GmbH, Lohmühlenstraße 5, Haus P, Hamburg, 20099, Germany
| | - Thoralf Kerner
- Department for Anesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Pain Therapy, Asklepios Medical Centre, Harburg, Germany
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Mansiroglu AK, Cesur E, Firinci B, Caglar O, Yigiter M, Salman AB. Management of pancreatic and duodenal trauma in childhood: a university hospital experience over a 10-year period. Eur J Trauma Emerg Surg 2024:10.1007/s00068-024-02506-x. [PMID: 38530410 DOI: 10.1007/s00068-024-02506-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Duodenal/pancreatic injuries occur in less than 10% of intra-abdominal injuries in pediatric blunt trauma. Isolated duodenal/pancreatic injuries occur in two-thirds of cases, while combined injuries occur in the remaining. This study aimed to investigate pediatric patients with pancreatic and duodenal trauma. METHODS Data from 31 patients admitted to Atatürk University, Medical Faculty, Department of Pediatric Surgery for pancreatic/duodenal trauma between 2010 and 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Age/gender, province of origin, duration before hospital admission, trauma type, injured organs, injury severity, diagnostic and therapeutic modalities, complications, hospitalization duration, blood transfusion requirement, and mortality rate were recorded. RESULTS Twenty-four patients were male, and 7 were female. The mean age was 9 years. The leading cause was bicycle accidents, with 12 cases, followed by traffic accidents/bumps, with 7 cases each. Comorbid organ injuries accompanied 18 cases. Duodenal trauma was most commonly accompanied by liver injuries (4/8), whereas pancreatic injury by pulmonary injuries (7/23). Serum amylase at initial hospital presentation was elevated in 83.9% of the patients. Thirty patients underwent abdominal CT, and FAST was performed in 20. While 54.8% of the patients were conservatively managed, 45.2% underwent surgery. CONCLUSION Because of the anatomical proximity of the pancreas and the duodenum, both organs should be considered being co-affected by a localized trauma. Radiologic confirmation of perforation in duodenal trauma and an intra-abdominal pancreatic pseudocyst in pancreatic trauma are the most critical surgical indications of pancreaticoduodenal trauma. Conservative management's success is increased in the absence of duodenal perforation and cases of non-symptomatic pancreatic pseudocyst.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agah Koray Mansiroglu
- Pediatric Surgery, Ministry of Health Sivas State Hospital, Örtülüpınar, Yeni Bulv. No:55, 58040, Sivas, Turkey.
| | - Emrullah Cesur
- Pediatric Surgery, Ministry of Health Amasya Sabuncuoğlu Şerefeddin Education and Research Hospital, Amasya, Turkey
| | - Binali Firinci
- Pediatric Surgery, Ataturk University Research Hospital, Erzurum, Turkey
| | - Ozgur Caglar
- Pediatric Surgery, Ankara Etlik City Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Murat Yigiter
- Pediatric Surgery, Ataturk University Research Hospital, Erzurum, Turkey
| | - Ahmet Bedii Salman
- Pediatric Surgery, Ataturk University Research Hospital, Erzurum, Turkey
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Nikula A, Lundeberg S, Ryd Rinder M, Lääperi M, Sandholm K, Castrén M, Kurland L. A randomized double-blind trial of intranasal dexmedetomidine versus intranasal esketamine for procedural sedation and analgesia in young children. Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med 2024; 32:16. [PMID: 38439043 PMCID: PMC10913425 DOI: 10.1186/s13049-024-01190-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Procedural sedation and analgesia are commonly used in the Emergency Departments. Despite this common need, there is still a lack of options for adequate and safe analgesia and sedation in children. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether intranasal dexmedetomidine could provide more effective analgesia and sedation during a procedure than intranasal esketamine. METHODS This was a double-blind equally randomized (1:1) superiority trial of 30 children aged 1-3 years presenting to the Emergency Department with a laceration or a burn and requiring procedural sedation and analgesia. Patients were randomized to receive 2.0 mcg/kg intranasal dexmedetomidine or 1.0 mg/kg intranasal esketamine. The primary outcome measure was highest pain (assessed using Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability scale (FLACC)) during the procedure. Secondary outcomes were sedation depth, parents' satisfaction, and physician's assessment. Comparisons were done using Mann-Whitney U test (continuous variables) and Fisher's test (categorical variables). RESULTS Adequate analgesia and sedation were reached in 28/30 patients. The estimated sample size was not reached due to changes in treatment of minor injuries and logistical reasons. The median (IQR) of highest FLACC was 1 (0-3) with intranasal dexmedetomidine and 5 (2-6.75) with intranasal esketamine, (p-value 0.09). 85.7% of the parents with children treated with intranasal dexmedetomidine were "very satisfied" with the procedure and sedation compared to the 46.2% of those with intranasal esketamine, (p-value 0.1). No severe adverse events were reported during this trial. CONCLUSIONS This study was underpowered and did not show any difference between intranasal dexmedetomidine and intranasal esketamine for procedural sedation and analgesia in young children. However, the results support that intranasal dexmedetomidine could provide effective analgesia and sedation during procedures in young children aged 1-3 years with minor injuries. TRIAL REGISTRATION Eudra-CT 2017-00057-40, April 20, 2017. https://eudract.ema.europa.eu/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Nikula
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Services, Helsinki University, P.O. Box 4, 00014, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Stefan Lundeberg
- Department of Pediatric Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, 171 76, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, 171 76, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Malin Ryd Rinder
- Department of Emergency Care for Children, Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, 171 76, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Katri Sandholm
- Department of Emergency Care for Children, Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, 171 76, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Maaret Castrén
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Services, Helsinki University and Helsinki University Hospital, P.O. Box 4, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Lisa Kurland
- Department of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, 701 82, Örebro, Sweden
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Örebro University Hospital, Örebro, Sweden
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Haller F, Lauritsen JM, Faergemann C. Age-related trends in unintentional injuries among children and adolescents in an urban Danish population 1980-2021. A cohort study of 292,737 children and adolescents. Injury 2024; 55:111400. [PMID: 38316095 DOI: 10.1016/j.injury.2024.111400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study describes the age-related trends in unintentional injuries in children and adolescents in an urban population 1980-2021. A retrospective study of all children and adolescents aged 0-17 years treated for unintentional injuries at Odense University Hospital, Denmark 1980-2021. METHODS Information about age, gender, place of injury, and diagnoses from the emergency department register. We estimated gender specific annual incidence rates (IRs) in different age groups (0-4, 5-9, 10-14, and 15-17 years) per 1000 population/years. The severity was classified by mild or severe injuries. RESULTS Overall, 292,737 unintentionally injured children and adolescents were included. The median age was 10 years and 57.4 % were boys. The overall IR was 241 (CI: 240-242) for boys and 188 (CI: 187-188) for girls per 1000 population/years. In the study period, the overall incidence decreased by 44 % in boys and by 38 % in girls. The overall IR for severe injuries did not change in the study period, whereas the IR of mild injuries decreased significantly in all age groups in both gender. The upper limbs were the most frequently injured in all age groups for both gender, except for children aged 0-4 years, where lesions mostly occurred in the head or neck. In the youngest age groups 0-4 years and 5-9 years wounds were the most common type of lesion, while bruises were the most common type of lesion in the oldest age groups. Fractures accounted for 14.5 % of the lesions with the highest proportions in the 5-9 years and 10-14 years age group. CONCLUSION The study provides information, which is useful when coordinating the resources at emergency departments and for planning preventive campaigns targeting different age groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederik Haller
- Accident Analysis Group, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, Odense University Hospital, J. B. Winslow Vej 4, 5000 Odense C, Denmark; Section for Pediatric Orthopaedic, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, Odense University Hospital, J. B. Winslow Vej 4, 5000 Odense C, Denmark
| | - Jens Martin Lauritsen
- Accident Analysis Group, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, Odense University Hospital, J. B. Winslow Vej 4, 5000 Odense C, Denmark; Orthopaedic Research Unit, The Faculty of Health Sciences, the University of Southern Denmark, J. B. Winslow Vej 4, 5000 Odense C, Denmark
| | - Christian Faergemann
- Accident Analysis Group, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, Odense University Hospital, J. B. Winslow Vej 4, 5000 Odense C, Denmark; Section for Pediatric Orthopaedic, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, Odense University Hospital, J. B. Winslow Vej 4, 5000 Odense C, Denmark; Orthopaedic Research Unit, The Faculty of Health Sciences, the University of Southern Denmark, J. B. Winslow Vej 4, 5000 Odense C, Denmark.
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Zouari M, Belhajmansour M, Krichen E, Hbaieb M, Ben Dhaou M, Mhiri R. Traumatic tension pneumomediastinum mimicking pneumothorax in a 6-year-old child. ANZ J Surg 2024; 94:270-271. [PMID: 37909485 DOI: 10.1111/ans.18757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Zouari
- Department of pediatric surgery, Hedi-Chaker Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia
- Faculty of Medicine of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Manel Belhajmansour
- Department of pediatric surgery, Hedi-Chaker Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia
- Faculty of Medicine of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Emna Krichen
- Department of pediatric surgery, Hedi-Chaker Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia
- Faculty of Medicine of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Manar Hbaieb
- Department of pediatric surgery, Hedi-Chaker Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia
- Faculty of Medicine of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Mahdi Ben Dhaou
- Department of pediatric surgery, Hedi-Chaker Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia
- Faculty of Medicine of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Riadh Mhiri
- Department of pediatric surgery, Hedi-Chaker Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia
- Faculty of Medicine of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
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Marzaleh MA, Ardakani MSZ. Disasters in pediatric dentistry: a systematic review. BMC Oral Health 2023; 23:984. [PMID: 38066572 PMCID: PMC10709838 DOI: 10.1186/s12903-023-03699-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Disasters can harm many people, especially children, in unpredictable and public ways. One of the neglected aspects of children's health in disasters is oral and dental hygiene, which can affect their physical and mental well-being. This systematic review explores how dentistry can help children in disasters, focusing on two aspects: providing oral health care and identifying disaster victims. METHODS A thorough search of databases, such as PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Embase, ProQuest, and Web of Science, was done to find English-language publications from 1930 to August 31, 2023. The screening, data collection, and quality assessment followed the PRISMA guidelines. RESULTS Out of 37,795 articles found in the databases, seven research articles were chosen. Five articles were retrospective, and two articles were prospective. The results showed that dentistry for children is very important in disasters by giving information about the oral and dental problems and identifying the victims. The results also showed some of the challenges and difficulties in giving dental care for children in disaster situations, such as changing control, referral systems, and parental fear of infection. CONCLUSION Dentistry for children can improve the health and well-being of children affected by disasters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milad Ahmadi Marzaleh
- Department of Health in Disasters and Emergencies, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Health Human Resources Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
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Edouard P, Reurink G, Mackey AL, Lieber RL, Pizzari T, Järvinen TAH, Gronwald T, Hollander K. Traumatic muscle injury. Nat Rev Dis Primers 2023; 9:56. [PMID: 37857686 DOI: 10.1038/s41572-023-00469-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Traumatic muscle injury represents a collection of skeletal muscle pathologies caused by trauma to the muscle tissue and is defined as damage to the muscle tissue that can result in a functional deficit. Traumatic muscle injury can affect people across the lifespan and can result from high stresses and strains to skeletal muscle tissue, often due to muscle activation while the muscle is lengthening, resulting in indirect and non-contact muscle injuries (strains or ruptures), or from external impact, resulting in direct muscle injuries (contusion or laceration). At a microscopic level, muscle fibres can repair focal damage but must be completely regenerated after full myofibre necrosis. The diagnosis of muscle injury is based on patient history and physical examination. Imaging may be indicated to eliminate differential diagnoses. The management of muscle injury has changed within the past 5 years from initial rest, immobilization and (over)protection to early activation and progressive loading using an active approach. One challenge of muscle injury management is that numerous medical treatment options, such as medications and injections, are often used or proposed to try to accelerate muscle recovery despite very limited efficacy evidence. Another challenge is the prevention of muscle injury owing to the multifactorial and complex nature of this injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Edouard
- Université Jean Monnet, Lyon 1, Université Savoie Mont-Blanc, Inter-university Laboratory of Human Movement Biology, Saint-Etienne, France.
- Department of Clinical and Exercise Physiology, Sports Medicine Unit, University Hospital of Saint-Etienne, Faculty of Medicine, Saint-Etienne, France.
| | - Gustaaf Reurink
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Academic Center for Evidence-based Sports Medicine (ACES), Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- The Sports Physicians Group, Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Abigail L Mackey
- Institute of Sports Medicine Copenhagen, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery M, Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Center for Healthy Aging, Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Richard L Lieber
- Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL, USA
- Departments of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
- Hines VA Medical Center, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Tania Pizzari
- La Trobe Sport and Exercise Medicine Research Centre, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Tero A H Järvinen
- Tampere University and Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - Thomas Gronwald
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Karsten Hollander
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
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Sinopidis X, Kallianezos P, Petropoulos C, Gkentzi D, Kostopoulou E, Fouzas S, Dassios T, Vervenioti A, Karatza A, Roupakias S, Panagidis A, Blevrakis E, Jelastopulu E. Post-Traumatic Stress as a Psychological Effect of Mild Head Injuries in Children. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 10:1115. [PMID: 37508613 PMCID: PMC10378063 DOI: 10.3390/children10071115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Head trauma is one of the most common pediatric emergencies. While the psychological effects of severe head injuries are well studied, the psychological consequences of mild head injuries often go overlooked. Head injuries with a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 13-15, with symptoms such as headache, vomiting, brief loss of consciousness, transient amnesia, and absence of focal neurological signs, are defined as mild. The aim of this study is to evaluate the stress of children with mild head injuries and their parents' relevant perception during the early post-traumatic period. METHODS This is a prospective cross-sectional study on a cohort of children with mild head injuries and their parents. Two questionnaires were implemented, the Child Trauma Screening Questionnaire (CTSQ) which was compiled by the children, and the Children's Revised Impact of Event Scale (CRIES-13), compiled by their parents. Both questionnaires are widely used and reliable. The first presents an excellent predictive ability in children with a risk of post-traumatic stress disorder, while the second is a weighted self-completed detecting instrument for the measurement of post-traumatic stress in children and adolescents, with a detailed evaluation of their reactions to the traumatic incident. The participants responded one week and one month after the traumatic event. RESULTS A total of 175 children aged 6-14 years and 174 parents participated in the study. Stress was diagnosed in 33.7% of children after one week, and in 9.9% after one month. Parental responses suggesting stress presence in their children were 19.0% and 3.9%, respectively. These outcomes showed that mild head injuries are not so innocent. They are often underestimated by their parents and may generate a psychological burden to the children during the early post-traumatic period. CONCLUSIONS Mild head injuries may affect the emotional welfare of children. Healthcare providers should understand the importance of the psychological effect of this overlooked type of injury. They should be trained in the psychological effect of trauma and be aware of this probability, promptly notify the parents accordingly, and provide psychological assistance beyond medical treatment. Follow-up and support are needed to avoid the possibility of future post-traumatic stress disorder. More extensive research is needed as the outcomes of this study regarded a limited population in numbers, age, and survey period. Furthermore, many children with mild head injuries do not ever visit the emergency department and stay at home unrecorded. Community-based research on the topic should therefore be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xenophon Sinopidis
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | | | | | - Despoina Gkentzi
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Eirini Kostopoulou
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Sotirios Fouzas
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Theodore Dassios
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Aggeliki Vervenioti
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Ageliki Karatza
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Stylianos Roupakias
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Antonios Panagidis
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Pediatric Hospital of Patras, 26331 Patras, Greece
| | - Evangelos Blevrakis
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71500 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Eleni Jelastopulu
- Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
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