Long-term disability after trauma in children

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess long-term disability after ped iatric trauma and identify predicting factors. Methods: A phone survey was conducted of all pediatric trauma patients with an injury Severity Score (ISS) greater than or equal to 4 seen over 6 year s at a regional trauma center. The questionnaire was a modification of the Rand Health Insurance Study scales. Results: Of 218 eligible trauma registry patients, 19 were deceased, 64 unr eachable, 19 declined, and 116 interviewed. There were no demographic diffe rences between respondents and nonrespondents. Sixty-three percent of the r espondents were boys, mean age at injury was 13, ISS 16.7, and mean interva l since injury was 4.4 (range, 1 to 7) years. Sixty-three children (54%) ha d no limitations on follow-up; the remainder had either limitations in phys ical or role activities (28%), mobility (18%), or self-care ability (2%), S ignificant correlations were found between the presence of disability and t rauma scores and number of body regions injured. Stepwise logistic regressi on identified number of regions injured, mechanism of injury and ISS as the main determinants for presence of lone-term disability. Conclusions: Half of injured children do have long-term sequelae. Their occ urrence can be predicted from trauma scores, mechanism of injury, and numbe r of regions injured. Copyright (C) 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company.