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Children Initial assessment Great care should be taken when interpreting the Glasgow Coma Scale in the under fives and this should be done by those with experience in the management of the young child. Pediatric Glasgow Coma Scale and Scoring (for use in patients under five years of age)
Indications for referral to hospital In addition to the indications for referral of adults to hospital, children who have sustained a head injury should be referred to hospital if any of the following risk factors apply: clinical suspicion of non-accidental injury significant medical comorbidity (eg learning difficulties, autism, metabolic disorders) difficulty making a full assessment not accompanied by a responsible adult social circumstances considered unsuitable. Indications for head CT scan Immediate CT scanning should be done in a child (<16 years) who has any of the following features: Early Management of Head Injury Protocol at Ayder Hospital September 2015