Children's Hospital report on injuries to children in certain safety seats

Patriot201 · Aug 16, 2006

Have you all seen this presentation by Children's National Medical Center on injuries sustained by children in certain types of crashes? It is very informative, but sad. Pages 37 to 40 are especially sad (about injuries sustained by a 14-month-old in a FF loosely installed seat with loose harness straps).

Victorious4 · Aug 16, 2006

*ARGH*

I can't view or save PDFs -- my computer just won't do it even though I've tried the free download software numerous times....

*SIGH*

Can someone email it to me to save & then view from the library (just in case I have a hard time finding the thread in the future)?

melaniev · Aug 16, 2006

i know you warned but after reading all of them i was not prepared for the last one, the 14 mo old.

i noticed in the analysis they said "may have caused increased head excursion" - do you think that was in reference to the loose straps? the child was ff, but rear center ... oh the what if's the parent probably is tortured with on a daily basis, ugh, so sad

Patriot201 · Aug 16, 2006

It is sad, isn't it? I think the radiology report is tragic:

u CPR Initiated On Scene
u Transported to Closest Hospital
u Temporarily Resuscitated & Flown to CNMC
u Placed on Mechanical Ventilation
u Day 4 - Declared Brain Dead / Organs Donated
u Radiology:
– Severe Intracranial Injury
– Complete Cranial-Cervical Dislocation

Complete Cranial-Cervical Dislocation. I am guessing that is internal decapitation?

Like you said, I can't imagine the "what-ifs" that the parents must experience every day. I wonder if a tether and tighter harness straps would have saved this little one's life. So sad.

Jeanum · Aug 16, 2006

I wonder those same things, too, and also assumed "complete cranial-cervical dislocation" was a more clinical wording for internal decapitation. After seeing the photo showing the huge amount of intrusion into the vehicle from such an apparently severe side impact, I honestly wonder if the crash would have been survivable no matter how the child was restrained. That is definitely one of the most scariest motivators I've ever seen to encourage and promote proper carseat usage.

Such a tragic outcome for that precious little one.

Patriot201 · Aug 16, 2006

Jeanum said:
After seeing the photo showing the huge amount of intrusion into the vehicle from such an apparently severe side impact, I honestly wonder if the crash would have been survivable no matter how the child was restrained.

I wondered if it was survivable too. I hope there was not a passenger in that front seat. The amount of damage to the front passenger door, with it intruding so much into the passenger cabin is unbelievable. How tragic. I can't even begin to imagine.

Simplysomething · Aug 16, 2006

I lied

I said I was keeping my mouth shut to SIL, but I sent her a link to the page, whether or not she opens it is up to her. She IS a nurse, so...

tjham · Aug 16, 2006

I read the whole thing but I found it very hard to follow. *sigh*. Wish it was easier to understand. (BTW, I have a college degree.)

lovinwaves · Aug 16, 2006

Thank you for that link. Also, Dodge Neons are one of the unsafest vehicles on the road. I would never ever let my child ride in one of those cars!

melaniev · Aug 17, 2006

tjham said:
I read the whole thing but I found it very hard to follow. *sigh*. Wish it was easier to understand. (BTW, I have a college degree.)

it was obviously written for HC professionals, my guess resident md's, and the whole point of the article is that every injury in those case studies was "occult" or hidden, i other words, not diagnosed in the ED, and left untreated for several days. I would think that many if not most MVA injuries (seat belt syndrome, etc.) are that way, with the exception of the very obvious traumatic head injuries with a lot of blood, ejection, etc.

Children's Hospital report on injuries to children in certain safety seats

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