title: Olfactory function after mild head injury in children.
abstract: Olfactory impairment has been shown to be linked to head injury. In addition, it is believed that measurement of olfactory function after head trauma represents a sensitive tool for measuring frontal brain damage. Aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of mild head trauma in children on olfactory function over a time period of up to 1 year after head trauma. The olfactory function of 114 children who suffered mild head trauma according to the Glasgow Coma Scale was assessed 3 times with an interval of 4 months. In addition, healthy, age-matched controls were tested for comparison of olfactory function. Patients scored significantly lower on the odor threshold test compared to the control group-but still within normal range. Between the 2 groups, no difference was found for suprathreshold testing. Neither olfactory threshold scores nor olfactory discrimination scores changed significantly over the study period of 1 year. This data prove an impact of mild head trauma on olfactory function of children. It seems unlikely that children who suffered mild head trauma will become hyposmic or anosmic.
authors.affiliation: Smell & Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, TU Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany. thummel@mail.zih.tu-dresden.de.
authors.forename: Valentin A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Schriever
authors.forename: Friederike
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Studt
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Smitka
authors.forename: Kay
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Grosser
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hummel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological; D005260:Female; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009812:Odorants; D009832:Olfactory Nerve / Q000502:physiology*; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: children; head injury; olfaction