Table 1

Demographics, key findings based on CHALICE criteria, GCS, CT findings and neurosurgical intervention (n=1065)

		Patients
Variable		N	%
Demographics	Gender (male)	673	63.1
	Age (years)	Mean 5.1 years	Range 8 days to
		Median 3.0 years	16 years 10 months
	Metropolitan address	1001	93.9
Head injury outcomes	GCS=15	869	81.6
	GCS=14	114	10.7
	GCS ≤13	82	7.7
	Deaths	2	0.2
	Admission rate	309	29.0
CT scanning carried out		207	19.4
CT positive findings^*	Skull fracture only (non-depressed)	34	3.2
	Depressed skull fracture	6	0.6
	Skull fracture and intracranial injury	16	1.2
	Intracranial injury breakdown
	Contusion	11	1.0
	Epidural haematoma	5	0.5
	Intraparietal haemorrhage	6	0.6
	Tympanic membrane rupture	1	0.1
	Cerebral oedema	3	0.3
	Subarachnoid haematoma	1	0.1
	Subdural haematoma	13	1.2
Skull x-ray carried out		2	0.2
Skull x-ray findings	Skull fracture	1	0.1
Neurosurgical intervention^†	Craniotomy	7	0.7
	Elevation of fracture	6	0.6
	Insertion of drainage	5	0.5
CHALICE criteria^‡	LOC >5 min	20	1.7
	Amnesia >5 min	92	8.7
	Abnormal drowsiness	193	18.1
	≥3 Vomits	77	7.2
	Suspicion of NAI	30	2.8
	Seizure (no epilepsy)	28	2.6
	GCS <14	70	6.6
	GCS <15 and <12 months	63	5.9
	Suspect penetrating/depressed skull	5	0.5
	Signs of basilar skull fracture	9	0.8
	Focal neurology	34	3.2
	Bruise >5 cm	28	2.6
	High-speed accident	59	5.5
	Fall >3 m	25	2.3
	High-speed injury from projectile	27	2.5

↵* CT findings – some patients had more than one intracranial injury.
↵† Neurosurgical intervention – some patients had more than one procedure.
↵‡ For details see figure 1.
CHALICE, children's head injury algorithm for the prediction of important clinical events; GCS, Glasgow Coma Scale; LOC, loss of consciousness; NAI, non-accidental injury.