Epidemiology of minor blunt head trauma in infants younger than 3  months

Conclusion:  Most head injuries in infants younger than 3 months are benign, and the rate of ciTBI is low. Prevention strategies should focus on falls onto hard surfaces from furniture, strollers, and caregivers’ arms. Optimizing imaging studies should be a priority in this population.What is Known:• Infants younger than 3 months are vulnerable to minor blunt head trauma due to their age and to difficulties in assessing the subtle symptoms and minimal physical findings detected on examination.• A low threshold for CT scan is recommended in this population.What is New:• Most cases of blunt head trauma in infants younger than 3 months have good outcomes, and the rate of clinically important traumatic brain injury is low.• Optimizing imaging studies should be a priority in this population, avoiding X-ray examinations and reducing unnecessary CT scans.
Source: European Journal of Pediatrics - Category: Pediatrics Source Type: research