Epidemiology

  • Infrequent fracture in kids less than 1% of all fractures & 2% of all c-spine fractures
  • Neurologic deficits are infrequent but generally have a more favourable prognosis
  • child less than 10 is specific
  • 70% of injuries younger than 8 are between the occiput & C3
  • multiple level spinal injuries are frequent
  • Child greater than 10 is similar to an adult