title: Epidemiological trends of pediatric trauma: A single-center study of 791 patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the various epidemiological parameters that influence the causation of trauma as well as the consequent morbidity and mortality in the pediatric age group.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study of 791 patients of less than 12 years age, was carried out over a period of 1 year (August 2009 to July 2010), and pediatric trauma trends, with regards to the following parameters were assessed: Age group, sex, mode of trauma, type of injury, place where the trauma occurred and the overall mortality as well as mortality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall trauma was most common in the school-going age group (6-12 years), with male children outnumbering females in the ratio of 1.9:1. It was observed that orthopedic injuries were the most frequent (37.8%) type of injuries, whereas fall from height (39.4%), road traffic accident (27.8%) and burns (15.2%) were the next most common modes of trauma. Home was found out to be the place where maximum trauma occurred (51.8%). Maximum injuries happened unintentionally (98.4%). Overall mortality was found out to be 6.4% (n = 51).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  By knowing the epidemiology of pediatric trauma, we conclude that majority of pediatric injuries are preventable and pediatric epidemiological trends differ from those in adults. Therefore, preventive strategies should be made in pediatric patients on the basis of these epidemiological trends.
authors: Department of Surgery, M. G. M. Medical College and M. Y. Hospital, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India.
authors: Mukesh
authors: M
authors: Sharma
authors: B K
authors: BK
authors: Lahoti
authors: Gaurav
authors: G
authors: Khandelwal
authors: R K
authors: RK
authors: Mathur
authors: S S
authors: SS
authors: Sharma
authors: Ashok
authors: A
authors: Laddha