| Paediatric major trauma patients made up 5% (n=1382) of the overall major trauma population from 2014 to 2019.
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| Paediatric major trauma peaks in the first 2 years of life, with more than one-quarter (26%, n=366) of all serious injuries in children occurring in this age group.
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| Males account for a majority (63%, n=874) of paediatric major trauma cases.
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| Falls from less than 2 m (termed ‘low falls’), road traffic collisions (RTCs) and burns account for 71% (n=985) of all paediatric major trauma patients.
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| Non-accidental injury (NAI) was recorded in 5% (n=64) of all paediatric major trauma patients, and accounted for 34% (n=47) of major trauma in children aged under 1 year.
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| Severe injury (Injury Severity Score (ISS) >15) was seen in 35% (n=488) of paediatric major trauma patients, which is comparable to adult major trauma patients.
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| Home was recorded as the most common place of injury for paediatric major trauma patients (45%, n=628).
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| The limbs and head are the most common body regions injured in all paediatric major trauma patients, at 32% each (n=439 and n=440, respectively).
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| Paediatric major trauma presentations were more common in the afternoon and evening between 2.00pm and 9.00pm.
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| Paediatric major trauma patients were most commonly admitted during the summer months.
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| Although the majority of paediatric major trauma patients were brought to hospital by ambulance (55%, n=578), it is notable that 41% (n=431) were brought in by car.
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| Of the patients brought to hospital by ambulance and/or helicopter, a paramedic or advanced paramedic treated 77% (n=482) of paediatric major trauma patients pre-hospital.
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| Many injured children were transferred to another hospital for ongoing management (57%, n=994).
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| Trauma teams received injured children on arrival to hospital in 20% of cases (n=234).
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| Overall, a low percentage of paediatric major trauma patients were documented as having been pre-alerted (13%, n=150); this can be explained in part by a large percentage of patients arriving by car.
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| Twenty-seven percent (n=312) of paediatric major trauma patients were documented as having been reviewed by a consultant within 30 minutes of arrival to the emergency department.
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| The most common type of surgery performed was limb surgery (54%, n=370).
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| Of the 114 paediatric major trauma patients who required a head computed tomography scan (having head injuries and an initial Glasgow Coma Scale score of <13), 52% (n=59) received it within 1 hour.
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| The median intensive care unit length of stay (LOS) for paediatric major trauma patients was 1.5 days.
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| The median hospital LOS was 5 days for all paediatric major trauma patients, and 6 days for patients with an ISS of >15.
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| There were 57 children (4%) who died during hospital admission due to major trauma.
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| The most common single mechanism of injury leading to death in paediatric major trauma patients was road trauma (32%, n=18).
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| Eighty-three percent (n=1147) of paediatric major trauma patients were discharged directly home from hospital.
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| Only 1% (n=19) paediatric major trauma patients were discharged to rehabilitation.
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)