Nursing care of the pediatric multitrauma patient.

Pediatric multitrauma causes more deaths and injuries each year in children than any other cause of death. Most of the multitrauma cases involve a motor vehicle accident. Blunt trauma and head injuries constitute the majority of injuries in pediatric multitrauma. Blunt trauma leaves minimal evidence of the underlying injury and is difficult to assess in the unconscious child. The initial assessment in children is in some ways more complex than in an adult. The airway is a more critical concern in the child. Airway obstruction is a more frequent cause of ventilatory insufficiency in pediatric trauma. Hypothermia is a vital concern because children lack the ability to maintain their temperature when they are compromised. Assessment of circulation and shock in children is complicated because the signs of shock are subtle in the child. The plan of care and the approach to the child must incorporate the child's fears and coping mechanisms based on the child's age and developmental level. Nursing diagnoses should reflect the plan of care not only for the child, but for his or her family. The proper approach to the child can positively influence the quality of the assessment, the level of cooperation, and the long-term outcome of care.