Traumatic brain injury in children in Denmark: a national 15-year study

Abstract

Demographic trends are reported concerning three types of traumatic brain injury (concussions, cranial fractures, and intracranial contusions/haemorrhages) among children in Denmark of ages up to and including 14 years, for a fifteen year period from 1979 through 1993. The data were derived from a national computer-based hospitalization register and include 49,594 children, of whom 60% were boys and 89% had suffered a concussion. Virtually all injuries were the result of accidents. A major finding was that there has been a general decline in the incidence of traumatic brain injuries, especially for boys from 5 to 14 years old, suggesting a degree of success in preventive measures, particularly regarding road safety. The incidence of fatal cases of intracranial contusions/haemorrhages approximately halved over the 15 year period. However, as a proportion of all diagnosed cases, mortality from intracranial contusions/haemorrhages remained fairly constant at about 22%, perhaps because there have been no markedly successful innovations in acute care. Among children surviving a intracranial contusions/haemorrhages, rather considerable numbers were found to have been awarded disability pension at ages under 30.