TOBOGGANING INJURIES IN CHILDREN

Aim: To undertake a retrospective review of tobogganing-related injuri es in children requiring admission to the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto. Materials and Methods: Twenty-two children with tobogganing-r elated injuries were admitted between December 1991 and December 1993. There were 13 boys and 9 girls (median age, 10 years; range, 3 to 17 years). Their charts were reviewed using a structured proforma. Result s: Nine patients (41%) sustained injuries by striking a tree, 8 struck other objects, and 5 fell from the toboggan. Only 1 was wearing prote ctive headgear. The initial site of impact was the head in 13 patients (59%), the trunk in 5, and the extremities in 4. Major injuries were sustained in all body systems. Thirteen patients (59%) required surgic al treatment and two patients died, one of cerebral edema and the othe r of acute renal failure and subsequent multiorgan failure. Conclusion : Tobogganing-related injuries represent a small fraction of all injur ies in children who require hospitalization. However, such injuries ca n be serious and can cause significant morbidity and mortality. Better public awareness of the risks of toboggan ing is required and simple safety guidelines should be developed to reduce the risks of this popu lar winter pastime. Copyright (C) 1995 by W.B. Saunders Company