Lucknow: Nearly half of child trauma victims admitted to King George’s Medical University (KGMU) reached the hospital six to 24 hours after injury, while more than a fourth arrived after 24 hours, according to a new study.More than 96% were first assessed or treated at other health facilities, and no child reached KGMU within the first hour after injury, highlighting referral delays in accessing specialised trauma care.KGMU paediatric orthopaedics department studied 320 trauma admissions among children aged up to 17 years over one year. Road crashes were the leading cause, accounting for 194 admissions (60.6%).Falls were the leading cause among children below six years. More than 80% of the 32 children injured in falls at home were under six, with beds and terraces among the reported sources of falls.Nearly one-third sustained severe injuries, more than half had moderate trauma and over one in five had injuries to multiple body regions. Lower limbs were most commonly affected. Boys accounted for more than two-thirds of admissions and were injured at more than twice the rate of girls.The study, led by Dr Vikas Verma and researcher Syed Faisal Afique, found urban children were more likely to be admitted after road crashes, while rural children were more likely to suffer falls and undergo surgery, partly because complex cases were referred from peripheral facilities. “The delay could prove costly for seriously injured children, as timely treatment is critical for preventing complications, disability and death,” said researchers.All four deaths involved rural children injured in road crashes. The in-hospital mortality rate was 1.2%, while 282 children (88%) were discharged.Only 60 children (18.8%) were enrolled under Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) before admission, with lower enrolment among rural children.The researchers called for stronger home safety for young children, safer road behaviour among older children, faster referrals and better access to specialised trauma care.“Parents should take extra care to prevent falls among young children, particularly from beds and terraces, while older children need to be taught safer road behaviour. Quicker referrals and access to trauma care, especially for rural children, must also be strengthened,” said Dr Verma.
