Management of minor head trauma.

Minor head trauma with loss of consciousness (LOC) results in large numbers of admissions each year in anticipation of the rare complication of epidural hematoma. The literature was reviewed and the records of 143 children aged 0-16 years admitted to Harbor/UCLA Medical Center with the diagnosis of minor head trauma were examined. Duration of LOC and post-traumatic amnesia (PTA) are good indicators of degree of head trauma, except in children under 2 years. Linear skull fractures do not alter medical management. Children with LOC less than or equal to 5 min, PTA less than 60 min, and normal neurologic examination can be observed at home by reliable caretakers provided access to further medical care is readily available.