@article{ref1,
title="Influence of age and fall type on head injuries in infants and toddlers",
journal="International journal of developmental neuroscience",
year="2012",
author="Ibrahim, Nicole G. and Wood, Jenifer and Margulies, Susan S. and Christian, Cindy W.",
volume="30",
number="3",
pages="201-206",
abstract="Age-based differences in fall type and neuroanatomy in infants and toddlers may affect clinical presentations and injury patterns. OBJECTIVE: Our goal is to understand the influence of fall type and age on injuries to help guide clinical evaluation. DESIGN/SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Retrospectively, 285 children 0-48months with accidental head injury from a fall and brain imaging between 2000 and 2006 were categorized by age (infant≤1 year and toddler=1-4 years) and fall type: low (≤3ft), intermediate (>3 and <10ft), high height falls (≥10ft) and stair falls. OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical manifestations were noted and head injuries separated into primary (bleeding) and secondary (hypoxia, edema). The influence of age and fall type on head injuries sustained was evaluated. RESULTS: Injury patterns in children <4 years varied with age. Despite similar injury severity scores, infants sustained more skull fractures than toddlers (71% vs. 39%). Of children with skull fractures, 11% had no evidence of scalp/facial soft tissue swelling. Of the patients with primary intracranial injury, 30% had no skull fracture and 8% had neither skull fracture nor cranial soft tissue injury. Low height falls resulted in primary intracranial injury without soft tissue or skull injury in infants (6%) and toddlers (16%). CONCLUSIONS: Within a given fall type, age-related differences in injuries exist between infants and toddlers. When interpreting a fall history, clinicians must consider the fall type and influence of age on resulting injury. For young children, intracranial injury is not always accompanied by external manifestations of their injury.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0736-5748",
doi="10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2011.10.007",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2011.10.007"
}