Chest Traumas Due To Fall in Childhood

Abstract

Aim Falls are the most common reason for childhood traumas. The aim of this study is to investigate the causes, types, monthly frequencies and results of injuries due to fall of children in our region and to recommend some precautions for preventing these injuries. Material and Methods A retrospective evaluation was performed in 47 pediatric patients admitted to the Department of Thoracic Surgery during 2006-2009 with a diagnosis of chest trauma due to fall. For every patient, a pediatric trauma score (PTS) was calculated. Descriptive statistics were performed for PTS and the duration of hospital stay. Results The mean PTS of the cases who had additional system injuries were significantly worse than the cases who had isolated chest traumas. Similarly, the length of hospital stay was also much longer in the cases with associated system injuries. Conclusions Injuries occur mostly in summer season. It may be due to the fact that the children do not go to the school and usually spend their times outside in this period. The children and their parents should be educated about the prevention of these accidents. Additionally, the accident and injury rates may also be reduced by constructing safer games and sports grounds with robust infrastructure.