Injuries

Question 1

Why do children sustain injuries?

Answer 1

Interaction between

• environment
• people around them
• stage of development; anatomical, behavioural, locomotor, physiologicalm psychological

Think about; audiovisual cues, written warnings, climbing, inquisitive, playing, risky behaviour/

Question 2

How does a child’s size affect injury?

Answer 2

Smaller target; relatively greater amount of energy absorbed for same force of impact

Large surface area:volume ratio
- heat loss significant in small children

Relatively large head

Smaller mass; drug and fluid requirements differ

Question 3

How can a child’s skeleton affect injury?

Answer 3

incomplete calcification
- soft, springy, deforms rather than breaks, poor at absorbing energy

Less vital organ protection

Question 4

How can children’s metabolism affect injury?

Answer 4

Thermoregulation

• little brown fat and immature shivering
• pokilothermic
• environmental considerations

Hypoglycaemia

• little glycogen stored in liver
• exacerbated by hypothermia and vv
• develops quickly in sick children

Question 5

What is the primary survey?

Answer 5

cABCDE

• catastrophic haemorrhage control
• airway with c-spine
• breathing with ventilation
• circulation with haemorrhage control
• disability
• exposure

Question 6

What are ALPS measurements for weights of children?

Answer 6

birth; ~3.5kg

<1yr (0.5 x age in months) + 4

1-5yrs (2 x age) + 8

6-10yrs (3 x age) + 7