stolid head trauma is common in chi...

stolid head trauma is common in children, and post-traumatic seizures are associated with traumatic brain injuries. Seizures are more belonging to all following severe head injuries, yet they also can occur after minor head injuries. Despite the lack of data supporting hospitalization in children with post-traumatic seizures, patients oftentimes have been admitted for observation, regardless of neuroimaging ends and neurologic status. Holmes and associates proofed the hypothesis that children with immediate post-traumatic seizures who have normal cranial comput tomographic (CT) scan follows and normal neurologic examinations can be sent household safely from the emergency department.

Using a prospective, observational cohort design, children who at handed with immediate post-traumatic seizure after without formal civility head trauma were examined by the agency of cranial CT. All participants' guardians were contacted common week after emergency-department evaluation and questioned about symptoms of head injury. results included the presence or absence of neurologic complications and neurosurgical intervention.

Of the 63 children included in the close attention 62 had brain CT scans; 10 of these rest traumatic brain injury. These children were hospitalized. The 52 children with normal cranial CT scans were observ in the necessity department, as was one child who did not have a CT scan. Of the children with normal CT scans, 20 were hospitalized for a median of 15 days. The child who did not have a CT scan was discharged hearthstone from the emergency department. None of the hospitalized children had repeated seizures. Of the 32 children with negative CT scans who were sent abode follow-up of 31 children confirmed that none had further seizures, experienced neurologic deterioration, or required neurosurgery Therefore, none of the children with immediate post-traumatic seizure with normal CT scans and neurologic examinations had any further seizures or sequelae.

The authors infer that children with immediate post-traumatic seizures who have abnormalities upon a head CT scan require hospitalization and neurologic evaluation. Children with immediate post-traumatic seizures, negative CT scans, and normal neurologic examinations are at subdued risk for neurologic sequelae that require hospitalization. These patients can be sent family directly from the emergency department.

Holme JF et al. Do children require hospitalization after immediate post-traumatic seizures? Ann Emerg M June 2004;43:706-10

COPYRIGHT 2005 American Academy of Family Physicians

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