Necessity of hospital admission for pediatric minor head injury

The objective of this study was to evaluate the need for mandatory hospital admission of all pediatric patients with minor head injury (MHI) and negative computed tomographic (CT) scans for head injury. The study was a retrospective chart review of all patients admitted to a pediatric trauma service over a period of 4 years. MHI was defined as blunt head trauma with a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 15 and a nonfocal neurological examination. Only patients < or = 13 years of age and with a negative head CT scan were included, and during hospitalization all patients were observed for delayed complications. A total of 197 patients met the inclusion criteria. The patients' mean age was 7.1 years, with a range of 2 months to 13 years. The most common mechanisms of injury were being struck by a motor vehicle while walking (82 patients), and falling (75 patients). No complications were observed, and although persistent symptoms occurred in 5 patients, they did not delay discharge. We conclude that pediatric patients with MHI and negative CT scans of the head do not require routine admission for observation for delayed complications.