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Epidemiology of severe paediatric trauma following winter sport accidents.

Authors :: Maisonneuve E
Roumeliotis N
Basso A
Venchiarutti D
Vallot C
Ricard C
Bouzat P
Mortamet G
Source :: Acta paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992) [Acta Paediatr] 2020 Oct; Vol. 109 (10), pp. 2125-2130. Date of Electronic Publication: 2020 Feb 11.
Publication Year :: 2020
Abstract: Aim: This study describes the epidemiology of severe injuries related to winter sports (skiing, snowboarding and sledding) in children and assesses potential preventive actions.<br />Methods: A single-centre retrospective study performed at Pediatric or Adult Intensive Care Unit in the French Alps. All patients less than 15 years old, admitted to the Intensive Care Unit following a skiing, snowboarding or sledding accident from 2011 to 2018, were included.<br />Results: We included 186 patients (mean age 10.6 years and 68% were male); of which 136 (73%), 21 (11%) and 29 (16%) had skiing, snowboarding and sledding accidents, respectively. The average ISS (injury severity score) was 16. The major lesions were head (n = 94 patients, 51%) and intra-abdominal (n = 56 patients, 30%) injuries. Compared to skiing/snowboarding, sledding accidents affected younger children (7 vs 11 years, P < .001); most of whom did not wear a helmet (89% vs 8%, P < .001). Severity scores were statistically different amongst winter sports (ISS = 16 (IQR 9-24) for skiing, 9 (IQR 4-16) for snowboarding and 16 (IQR 13-20) for sledding accident, P = .02).<br />Conclusion: Winter sports can cause severe trauma in children. Sledding accidents affect younger children that may benefit from wearing protective equipment.<br /> (© 2020 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)