PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Mansour M. Almalki
AU  - Mohammed E. Almalki
AU  - Nedaa Alsulaimani
AU  - Shahad Tariq
AU  - Taif Alqahtani
AU  - Fawaz Baalaraj
AU  - Mohammed Ageel
TI  - Epidemiology of pediatric trauma in Makkah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
AID  - 10.15537/smj.2023.44.8.20230292
DP  - 2023 Aug 01
TA  - Saudi Medical Journal
PG  - 808--814
VI  - 44
IP  - 8
4099  - http://smj.org.sa/content/44/8/808.short
4100  - http://smj.org.sa/content/44/8/808.full
SO  - Saudi Med J2023 Aug 01; 44
AB  - Objectives: To explore the epidemiology and patterns of pediatric trauma in addition to length of hospital stay and outcome.Methods: A single-center retrospective study of 605 patients aged 14 years and younger was carried out from January to December 2022. The study included all patients who experienced intentional or unintentional trauma aged 14 years or below in 2022 and excluded trauma that did not prompt an emergency room visit.Results: Most pediatric trauma cases involved boys (69.1%, n=418), and girls comprised only 30.9% (n=187). Trauma was most common in children one to 5 years old (41.5%, n=251). Falling from a height was the most common mode of injury in both girls and boys (n=253, 41.8%). The most common body parts involved were the extremities (n=357, 59%), followed by the head (n=210, 34.7%). Most children were transferred to hospital via emergency medical services (n=234, 38.7%). In most cases, the child was admitted to the surgical ward (n=458, 75.7%), while others were managed in the emergency department without admission (n=93, 15.4%). Most patients were stable after receiving standard care (n=558, 92.2%).Conclusion: To reduce health care expenses and improve public health outcomes, prioritizing preventive measures is crucial. This includes increasing public awareness, implementing safety protocols, and enacting government regulations to prevent avoidable injuries.