title: Special considerations for the pediatric emergency patient.
abstract: Management of pediatric maxillofacial infections and trauma continue to challenge the clinician, because both conditions are uncommon. Therefore, individual clinicians might not see enough cases to formulate systematic and consistent treatment plans. When one is evaluating pediatric maxillofacial infections, the location of infection (upper or lower face) can serve as a diagnostic aid to develop a differential diagnosis and to initiate empiric treatment. When evaluating pediatric maxillofacial injuries while implementing acute treatment measures, the clinician should also be aware of the potential for late adverse sequalae owing to alteration of growth. In the absence of controlled studies, however, growth alternation from traumatic injuries to the facial skeletal remains a plausible but unproved hypothesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: T B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Dodson
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Kaban
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008446:Maxillofacial Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D010372:Pediatrics; D014946:Wound Infection / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy