Evaluation of children applying to emergency service after motor vehicle trauma

Background

Traffic accidents are significant causes of death and serious injury in children. Children's clinical findings are more subtle and there is a risk of faster deterioration. On the other hand, radiation sensitivity due to imaging is also high. These challenging factors highlight the importance of approaching pediatric trauma cases. In our study, we aimed to contribute to current approaches by examining the clinical course and profiles of children involved in traffic accidents. This study aimed to analyze the profiles and clinical courses of children involved in road traffic accidents.

Methods

Pediatric patients brought to our hospital due injuries from traffic accidents were retrospectively investigated.

Results

During the two-year period analyzed in the study, 605 child patients applied due to traffic accidents, accounting for 5.4 % of pediatric trauma cases. The majority of the children were between the ages of 12–17, with most accidents occurring in the summer. In total, 56.9 % were from in-vehicle traffic accidents, 36.7 % were from extra-vehicular traffic accidents, and 6.4 % were from motorcycle accidents. The imaging rate among the patients was 89 %, and 50.6 % had more than one tomography. More than half of the cases had no pathological findings, and only 6 % required hospitalization. Most cases were treated successfully with medical care, while 21.4 % needed interventional procedures, and 10 % received no treatment. The most common injuries were superficial skin lesions (11.1 %) and extremity fractures (10.2 %), with orthopedics being the most consulted department. Fractures were most common in the tibia and were more likely in motorcycle accidents than in-car accidents.

Conclusion

In-vehicle accidents were the most frequent type of accident, and children under 4 years old had a higher incidence of in-car accidents than other age groups. Males made up 60 % of the cases, with boys having higher rates of motorcycle and extra-vehicular accidents compared to girls. While most children had no injuries from the accidents, those who did generally recovered well with outpatient monitoring. On the other hand, 89 % of patients underwent imaging at a high rate.