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Accidental head trauma during care activities in the first year of life: a neurosurgical comparative study

Child's Nervous System volume 29, pages 973–978 (2013)Cite this article

Abstract

Objectives

This study aims to describe clinical–epidemiological data regarding accidental fall injuries occurring during homecare activities among children up to 1 year of age and to compare their outcomes according to the type of trauma.

Methods

We searched four different hospital databases on head injuries from 1999 to 2009. Patients recorded under the descriptors “accidental fall” and “home-related” in the subtext were selected. Patients were classified into two groups: those who flipped over and fell from a changing table (n = 253) and those who fell from the bed sustaining a direct impact from the floor (n = 483).

Results

There was no difference between both groups with respect to age, gender, and Glasgow Coma Scale score. However, children who suffered injuries after an accidental fall from the changing table were more likely to require surgery (26/483 vs. 57/253, p < 0.0001), had a mean longer length of stay (LOS, 4 vs. 1 day), and a higher incidence of depressed skull fractures (12/483 vs. 24/253, p < 0.0001). Children with a direct impact from the floor after falling off the bed were expected to suffer from simple linear skull fractures, while those who flipped over the changing table were more likely to present facial, soft tissue, or skeletal injuries.

Conclusions

Children who flipped over a changing table during their homecare activities were more likely to require surgery, showed a higher morbidity, and showed a longer LOS than those who fell down from the bed. These results probably reflect the different impact energy according to each injury mechanism.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the operating room staff of the hospitals participating in this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Regional Service of Neurosurgery, “Virgen de la Arrixaca” University Hospital, 30120, El Palmar, Murcia, Spain

    Marcelo Galarza, Cristina Barceló, Cinta Arráez & Juan F. Martínez-Lage

  2. Department of Neurosurgery, Ospedale San Giovanni–Addolorata, Rome, Italy

    Roberto Gazzeri

  3. Department of Neurosurgery, National Pediatric Hospital J. P. Garrahan, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Beatriz Mantese

  4. Department of Neurosurgery, Martin Luther University, Halle-Wittenberg, Germany

    Alex Alfieri

  5. Emergency Department, Ospedale Infantile Regina Margherita, Turin, Italy

    Michela Cavazzana & Rita Gandini

  6. Department of Health Psychology, University Miguel Hernández, Elche, Spain

    Olga Pellicer Porcar

Authors
  1. Marcelo Galarza
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  2. Roberto Gazzeri
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  3. Cristina Barceló
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  4. Beatriz Mantese
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  5. Cinta Arráez
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  6. Alex Alfieri
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  7. Michela Cavazzana
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  8. Rita Gandini
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  9. Olga Pellicer Porcar
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  10. Juan F. Martínez-Lage
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marcelo Galarza.

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Galarza, M., Gazzeri, R., Barceló, C. et al. Accidental head trauma during care activities in the first year of life: a neurosurgical comparative study. Childs Nerv Syst 29, 973–978 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-013-2051-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-013-2051-6

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