TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2004//
TI  - Profile of children with head injuries treated at the trauma unit of Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, 1991 - 2001
JO  - South African medical journal SAMJ
A1  - Lalloo, R.
A1  - Van As, A. B.
SP  - 544
EP  - 546
VL  - 94
IS  - 7
N2  - OBJECTIVE: To describe the profile of childhood head injury patients treated in a trauma unit. DESIGN: A retrospective record-based study. SETTING: The trauma unit of the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital. SUBJECTS: Children (under 13 years of age) presenting with head injuries between January 1991 and December 2001. RESULTS: Of the almost 94 000 records, more than one-third were children presenting with head injuries. Fifty-nine per cent were boys, with more than half the sample under 5 years of age. The majority of children presented with superficial lacerations and abrasions, mostly affecting the scalp and skull. Injuries were mainly caused by falls from a variety of heights, and traffic-related injuries. Almost two-thirds of traffic-related injuries involved children as pedestrians being struck by a motor vehicle. More than 60% of injuries occurred in or around the child's own home. CONCLUSIONS: Head injuries in children are a significant cause of morbidity. Prevention, especially in the home and on the streets, needs urgent attention.
LA  - 
SN  - 0038-2469
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -