Epidemiology of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in children aged 1 to 5 years in a tertiary pediatric emergency center

Abstract

Objective: To describe some sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of children aged 1 to 5 years, suffering from TBI.

Design: Prospective series of cases at San Vicente de Paul University Hospital, in Medellín, Colombia.

Participants: 90 children aged between 1 and 5 years, treated for TBI between June, 2003 and November, 2004, who were residents of the Aburra valley in northwestern Colombia, and did not suffer from other neurological problems.

Results: Patients were predominantly males (64.4%). Most cases came from the eastern suburbs of Medellín and were of low socioeconomic level. 82.2% of the cases were due to falls, most of them from top floors, balconies or stairs. In 82% of the cases the places from where children fell did not have any adequate protective barrier. Thirty seven patients (41.1%) suffered from moderate to severe TBI, and 3 of them died (3.3%). Often (58.9%) patients had been with their mothers at the moment of the lesion. For the most part, people in charge of these children were adults, with more than 5 years of schooling.

Conclusion: In order to prevent these injuries, an epidemiological surveillance system of TBI, and the installation of adequate protective barriers at homes are clear priorities.