Severe Traumatic Brain Injury in Children: An Evidence-Based Review of Emergency Department Management (Trauma CME and Pharmacology CME)

• Traumatic brain injury (TBI) should be considered if any of the following have occurred: motor vehicle crash, fall from significant height (> 5 feet for patients aged = 2 years or > 3 feet for patients < 2 years), penetrating trauma to the skull, loss of consciousness, signs of basilar skull fracture, and/or persistent vomiting.
• Severe TBI can be divided into 2 distinct categories: primary injury and secondary injury. Primary injury is directly related to the initial impact and external force. Secondary injury is a complication of the primary injury that may develop over a period of hours to months and may be acute or chronic.

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