Childhood head injury in Ibadan: causes, neurologic complications and outcome.

Ninety-nine children who suffered head injuries between January, 1988 and June, 1989 were analysed. These form approximately 60% of the total number of children with head injury seen at our institution over this period. The mean age (+/- SD) was 77.5 (+/- 53.1) months. There were more males than females (1.8:1). The two most frequent causes of head injury were pedestrian-vehicular accidents, PVA, (38%) and falls at home, FH, (40%). Fifty-two per cent of the patients sustained a loss of consciousness at presentation, 43% exhibited additional neurological deficits. Skull fractures were present in 45%. There were 2 deaths in this group. Only 8% of the patients underwent surgery which was limited to elevation of compound depressed skull fractures. By the time of discharge, neural deficits were present in 17%. 56 patients were followed-up over a mean period of 4 months. 82% of them were neurologically normal, Head injury from vehicular accidents affected older children, was more severe, but recovered as well as that from falls, except with respect to mental status function.