Cumulative visits for care of minor injuries are associated with traumatic brain injury in young children.

AIM

To evaluate the association between cumulative visits for care of minor injuries and risk of traumatic brain injuries in children aged ≤36 months.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective analysis of children born from 2009 to 2012, using a health insurance claims database in Japan. We investigated the total number of visits where children aged 0-36 months presented for treatment of minor injuries such as superficial injuries, fractures, burns and foreign body ingestions. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between the cumulative number of visits for treatment of minor injuries and traumatic brain injuries in children aged ≤36 months.

RESULTS

A total of 91 011 children were included in the analysis, 51% of whom were boys. Traumatic brain injuries were identified in 0.7% of these children. Cumulative visits for care of minor injuries among children aged 0-36 months were significantly associated with traumatic brain injuries by 36 months of age, with an odds ratio of 2.12 (95% confidence interval: 1.68-2.68) for multiple visits.

CONCLUSION

Cumulative visits for treatment of minor injuries during the first 36 months of life were associated with increased risk of traumatic brain injuries by 36 months of age.