Focused Review Course: Pediatric Rehabilitation-Pediatric Spinal Cord Injuries

Video Transcription

Video Summary

This video is a review of pediatric spinal cord disorders, focusing on their epidemiology, etiology, common complications, and treatment strategies. Pediatric spinal cord injury is relatively rare, with an incidence of approximately two cases per 100,000. Traumatic causes, such as motor vehicle collisions, falls, sports, and violence, are the leading cause of pediatric spinal cord injury, with motor vehicle collisions accounting for up to 50% of cases. Non-traumatic causes include congenital, inflammatory, neoplastic, infectious, vascular, toxic, and radiation-related conditions. Spinal cord injury without radiologic abnormality is unique to pediatric patients and accounts for 30-40% of all pediatric spinal cord injuries. This review also discusses other common complications such as respiratory dysfunction, neurogenic bladder and bowel, hypercoagulopathy, bone and metabolic health issues, autonomic dysreflexia, and acute transverse myelitis. The functional outcomes of pediatric spinal cord injuries are also mentioned, with specific functional levels highlighted. It is important to have open and honest discussions with patients and families about the prognosis and potential for improvement after spinal cord injury.

Keywords

pediatric spinal cord disorders

epidemiology

etiology

common complications

treatment strategies