Evaluation and Management of Blunt Head Trauma in the Pediatric Clinic

Abstract

Head injuries, and specifically blunt head trauma, are common among pediatric patients of all ages. Patients may present to their primary care provider, to urgent care, or to the emergency department after head trauma. Such injuries may occur as a result of a variety of mechanisms, including falls, motor vehicle collisions, or sports injuries. Clinical decision rules exist to help guide the clinician in the initial evaluation of head injury and in determining when head imaging may be indicated. One such guideline that is widely used in the United States is known as the PECARN (Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network) criteria. Pediatricians should also evaluate for the presence of symptoms consistent with concussion that may occur as a result of blunt head trauma and be familiar with the management and sequelae of concussion and head injuries. [ Pediatr Ann . 2023;52(8):e279–e281.]