Pediatric emergency medicine trisk 3200 3200

FIGURE 103.9 An 11-year-old girl with classic abdominal and flank ecchymosis in the pattern
of a lap belt. Her injuries included colon perforation and a Chance fracture.

Although it is well publicized that children younger than 13 years or less than 4
ft 9 in in height should not ride in the front seat of a vehicle that has functioning
air bag restraints, significant injuries and deaths continue to occur. Lifethreatening injuries caused by air bag deployment are typically related to cervical
spine injuries and closed head trauma. Less severe air bag injuries include
abrasions to the face, neck, and chest; minor burns to the upper extremities; blunt
ocular trauma; and chemical keratitis.

Child Abuse
The most recent report by the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System
(NCANDS) of the Children’s Bureau estimated that 1,720 children died of abuse
and neglect during 2017, a rate of 2.32 per 100,000 children in the U.S.