Severely injured children brought to emergency departments by caregivers instead of ambulance may face delays in treatment. A study identified three key trauma features that should prompt immediate review: boggy head swelling, abdominal bruising, and thigh swelling/deformity. These children were seen in an average of 58.5 minutes, with no trauma team activation. Despite delays, all received appropriate care with no detrimental effects. Most injuries were falls, with concerns for non-accidental injuries in some cases. Implementing triage alerts for these key signs may improve prompt evaluation and management of severely injured children brought by caregivers to emergency departments. Further research and process improvements are needed to enhance outcomes.
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Key signs of major trauma could speed up treatment of severely injured children brought to emergency departments
