title: Traumatic spinal epidural hematoma-unusual cause of torticollis in a child.
abstract: Traumatic spinal epidural hematoma is rare in children. The presentation could be nonspecific, leading to a delay in diagnosis. We present an infant who sustained an epidural hematoma after a "trivial" injury. The delay in diagnosis led to minor neurological deficit at 6-week follow-up. Irritability and torticollis after a neck trauma in an afebrile child should alert to the possibility of spinal cord compression. Early imaging and early decompression will minimize morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: S V S
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Soundappan
authors.forename: Balsam
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Darwish
authors.forename: Raymond
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chaseling
mesh_terms: D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005260:Female; D046748:Hematoma, Epidural, Spinal / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006732:Horner Syndrome / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D018908:Muscle Weakness / Q000209:etiology; D019838:Neck Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000209:etiology*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae; D014103:Torticollis / Q000209:etiology*