p18: minor head trauma in children

head trauma is the most common form of accidental injury among children, which is a source of concern for parents and pediatricians. after head trauma, children may be loss of intellectual function. most head trauma in children is minor and not related with brain injury or long-term outcome. however, a small number of children may have a clinically important traumatic brain injury. the incidence of neurobehavioral outcome in children who have maintained minor head injury is argumentative. headaches were a more frequent problem in the head-trauma patients. management has focused on limiting progression of the primary brain injury and minimizing secondary brain injury. children who have sustained minor head trauma manifest substantial functional morbidity despite the rarity of physical outcome. this functional morbidity probably reflects parental overreaction and possibly family dysfunction. it is recommended that pediatricians who have defined that a child's head injury is mild should focus parental education on the rarity of physical outcome and the importance of the child's returning to a normal routine.