Management of Minor Head Trauma in Children: Evaluation of Emergency Department Practices and CT Decisions

Objective: This study aims to improve the management of minor head trauma cases frequently encountered in emergency medicine by optimizing the use of computed tomography (CT) scans. The goal is to minimize patients' exposure to radiation and reduce escalating hospital costs. Material and Methods: This prospective, descriptive study included 370 pediatric patients aged 0–18 years with minor head trauma who presented to the Emergency Department of Düzce University Research and Application Hospital over a one-year period. Detailed records of demographic data, presenting symptoms, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores, CT scan decisions, results, and discharge status were collected using patient follow-up forms. Results: The majority of pediatric patients with minor head trauma were male (58.4%) and had a GCS score of 15 (92.2%). The most common presenting symptoms were nausea/vomiting (11.6%) and headache (10.5%). CT scan decisions were influenced by presenting symptoms. Most CT scans yielded normal findings (42.7%), while the detection rate of abnormal findings was low (6.3%). Conclusions: This study highlights critical findings for optimizing CT scan decisions in pediatric minor head trauma cases. The results support strategies to reduce unnecessary CT scans, thereby minimizing radiation exposure and enhancing the cost-effectiveness of healthcare services.