Trauma across pediatric ages: a retrospective analysis of age-stratified epidemiology, injury patterns, and outcomes in pediatric cervical spinal cord injury using the National Trauma Data Bank

Among pediatric patients with cSCI, infants and toddlers predominantly experienced motor vehicle-related and more severe injury, and worse clinical outcomes, which requires aggressive early management and age-appropriate trauma protocols. In contrast, firearm and recreational injuries were more common among adolescents, reinforcing the necessity of targeted prevention and community education. These findings highlight the importance of age-specific strategies in both clinical care and injury prevention for this high-risk population.