BACKGROUND: Children who sustained nonaccidental head trauma (NAHT) are at severe risk for mortality within the first 24 hours after presentation.
OBJECTIVE: Extent of delay in seeking medical attention may be related to patient outcome.
METHODS: A 10-year, single-institution, retrospective review of 48 cases treated at a large tertiary Children\u27s Hospital reported to the New York State Central Registrar by the child protection team was conducted. The perpetrator was identified in 28 cases on the basis of confession or conviction. The medical and legal records allowed for identification of time of injury and the interval between injury and arrival to the hospital; this information was categorized as follows:(without delay); 6-12 hours (moderate delay); and \u3e12 hours (severe delay). The King\u27s Outcome Scale for Childhood Head Injury (KOSCHI) score was recorded for each case.
RESULTS: All children were 3 years of age or younger (2.1-34 months) and predominantly male (68%; 19/28). On arrival, 61% of patients (17/28) presented with moderate or severe delay. A low arrival Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score (P \u3c 0.0001) and extracranial injuries (P \u3c 0.0061) correlated with worse clinical patient outcomes. Patients with an arrival GCS score
CONCLUSION: Patients presenting to medical care 6-12 hours after NAHT (moderate delay) appeared to have worse outcomes than those presenting earlier or later
