RT Book, Section A1 Leonard, Julie C. A2 Tintinalli, Judith E. A2 Ma, O. John A2 Yealy, Donald M. A2 Meckler, Garth D. A2 Stapczynski, J. Stephan A2 Cline, David M. A2 Thomas, Stephen H. SR Print(0) ID 1166591896 T1 Cervical Spine Injury in Infants and Children T2 Tintinalli's Emergency Medicine: A Comprehensive Study Guide, 9e YR 2020 FD 2020 PB McGraw-Hill Education PP New York, NY SN 9781260019933 LK accessemergencymedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1166591896 RD 2024/11/14 AB Cervical spine injuries occur in approximately 1.8% of pediatric blunt trauma patients.1,2 Although the incidence of cervical spine injuries in children is lower than adults (2.4%), children have higher rates of mortality (7.4%) compared to adults (1.2%).3-6 In children <8 years old, nearly three fourths of all spinal injuries occur in the cervical spine,7 and three fourths of the cervical spine injuries involve the axial cervical spine (occiput through C2).3 Cervical spine injuries in these younger children are more likely associated with neurologic deficits and head or other major organ injury.3,8 In addition, spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality (SCIWORA) may occur in children and typically involves the cervical spine. The incidence of SCIWORA among pediatric trauma patients ranges from 0.15% to 0.2%, comprising 4.5% to 35% of pediatric spine injuries.3,9-11 Motor vehicle crashes are the most common mechanism of cervical spine injuries, followed by falls, and in teenagers, diving and sports injuries.3 Boys are affected more often than girls. Child abuse can result in cervical spine injuries in younger patients via a shaking mechanism, although this is a rare manifestation of inflicted injury.12 Note that injuries to the spine and spinal cord outside of the cervical spine are discussed in Chapter 110, “Pediatric Trauma.”