Head trauma outcomes of verifiable falls in newborn babies.
Eleven newborn babies of normal weights sustained falls onto a hard surface in hospital. The one baby who fell from >1 m sustained clinical and radiological trauma and encephalopathy, with a skull fracture and cerebral contusion. No other baby demonstrated neurological signs despite the presence of parietal skull fractures in four of six who were x rayed; only two babies had scalp swelling. The findings suggest that parietal fractures can result from very low-level falls, and scalp swelling is a poor marker for underlying fracture.
Ruddick
C
C
Women's Services, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Platt
M Ward
MW
Women's Services, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Lazaro
C
C
Department of Child Health, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
D000058:Accidental Falls; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis