Paediatric Trauma Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Paediatric Trauma - Essay Example Details of the case are presented in this paper as well as the proper medical management of this case base on the paramedical standard of paediatric trauma protocol and other reliable sources, utilising theories and related literatures significant in this study to convey a realistic and valid approach of management. Description of the Scene At 08:49, an accident was reported involving a 9-year-old boy, named Martin, who has been hit by a car travelling approximately 30 kilometres an hour whilst crossing the road on his bicycle. On the scene, the boy is conscious with some respiratory distress 10 minutes after the incident. His left leg appears to be deformed, more likely associated to fractured tibia, fibula, or both. A man holding the boy’s helmeted head, maintaining spinal alignment and who claimed that he is the driver of the car and a trained first aider, said that Martin complained about tightness in his chest and that he has asthma. Paediatric Trauma To start with, it is important to emphasize that the term â€Å"trauma† is being used in this study according to its medical definition as a serious or critical bodily injury, wound or shock (MedicineNet.com, 2011). Trauma is the leading cause of childhood mortality because after the age of 5 years, rapid neuromuscular development, frequent social interactions with other children, wider range of activities, and less parental supervision predisposes them to greater risk. Paediatric trauma is more difficult to handle than in adults as presented in Staheli’s (2003, pp. 105-107) ‘Pediatric Orthopaedic Secrets’ book of the contributions made by Dr. Cummings about child versus adult trauma management: Details about the child’s injury will be difficult to gather if the trauma was not witnessed by an adult; assessment is difficult to establish as children frequently resist examination. Trauma causes more death and injury in children than in adults and unintentional injury caus ing blunt trauma is more common to children. Between 30% to 70% of trauma deaths in children are due to head injury because anatomically, children’s head is larger in proportion to the body than in adults and their neck muscles are weaker, thus the cervical spine is more susceptible to injury; their skulls are thinner, and scalps are more vascular than those of adults. Children’s liver and spleen are larger relative to their size than in adults, making them prone to hemorrhage due to intra-abdominal injury. Children are more prone to hypothermia due to higher body surface-to-mass ratio, their skin is thinner and they have smaller stored fats compared to adults. Children cannot be relied on when it comes to immobilization required in fracture healing during recovery as they tend to resume normal activity (if unattended) once they do not feel pain anymore. Assessment of Paediatric Trauma At the moment the health care provider reaches the scene, it is a standard operating procedure that he/she will introduce himself/herself in the crowd while conducting the primary survey and clearing the site for potential harm. Assessment of paediatric trauma in pre-hospital setting should be done rapidly to make sure that the injured child will be transported right away to the nearest facility where in-depth assessment, management, and treatment shall be given. In the pre-hospital setting, the rapid assessment and preparation includes: (1) minimizing scene time, (2) controlling external bleeding and shock, (3) immobilization, (4) immediate transport to the closest appropriate facility, (5) obtaining information from the handover, (6) assessment for level of consciousness, respiratory rate, systolic blood pressure, revised trauma score, and paediatric trauma score, (7)