| CMH targets children’s head injuries
Calvert Memorial’s Emergency Department has joined with 25 hospitals nationwide to study how children’s head injuries are treated. The two-year project will gather data from 25,000 cases.
Specifically, the study is looking at when and why CT scans are used. The focus of the research is to develop indicators on which to base the appropriate use of these tests. Ultimately, they hope to reduce the number of unnecessary CT scans for children at very low risk of brain injury.
The study is sponsored by the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN). The network includes a broad cross-section of urban, suburban and rural communities. Together, the hospitals treat about 840,000 seriously ill and injured children each year.
“There are many benefits,” said Dr. Kraig Melville, chief of emergency medical services at CMH. “We’re working with the top pediatric hospitals in the country … talking and receiving materials.”
“We advance our knowledge,” he added, “by concentrating on a certain area (reviewing and studying cases.)”
Locally, PECARN includes CMH, the Children’s National Medical Center (CNMC), Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, the University of Maryland Medical System, Holy Cross Hospital and Howard County General Hospital.
According to Kate Shreve, project coordinator at CNMC, the “large and diverse sample” allows the researchers to gather meaningful results on how to best treat pediatric head injuries. Other PECARN studies have looked at the treatment of bronchitis and hypothermia.
Startling trend
During May, 14 children with serious head injuries were treated at CMH’s Emergency Department. “We’re seeing a startling trend of head injuries in Calvert involving children without protective or safety gear,” said Melville.
The majority of crashes involved older children riding dirt bikes, four-wheelers and skateboards without a helmet. “These are avoidable injuries,” said Melville. “Even mild brain injuries can cause serious, long-lasting problems.”
Risky behavior
A low-speed fall can change your life forever. In an instant your head can smack the street, sidewalk, curb, a car, tree or anything else around you. Why take the chance? A helmet can absorb most of the impact that would otherwise hurt your head. Helmets also protect the forehead and midface.Unfortunately, national figures show that only 1 in 4 children wears a helmet when bike riding. Helmet use is lowest among children ages 11 to 14 (11 percent). Parents can have an impact by making helmet use a household rule and teaching by example. |
