Article
Prevention of primary neurotrauma in school children: Experience from a multidisciplinary approach of a decade
Verhinderung primärer Neurotraumata auf dem Schulweg: Erfahrung eines multidisziplinären Ansatzes aus einem Jahrzehnt
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Authors
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D. Moskopp
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Neurochirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Münster
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G. Wietholt
- Kinderneurologie-Hilfe Münster e.V.
| Published: | April 11, 2007 |
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Outline
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Objective: Neurotrauma is a cause of morbidity and mortality in school children The question is how to systematically prevent these accidents and how to evaluate the respective aproach.
Methods: After a fatal injury of a 12-year-old girl on the way to school in 1994, a project to prevent these accidents was started in a city of 300.000 inhabitants. The following persons/institutions were involved: neurosurgeon, orthopedic surgeon, police force, local health and education authorities, youth welfare office and insurances. Different projects were performed: analysis and optimization of regional traffic organization and traffic lights, instructions in public and at school - including the participation in crash tests. An evaluation by questionnaires was performed before and after the safety instruction courses.
Results: More than 5.000 children (9-13 yrs) were instructed during the last decade. This reflects only a percentage of the target group. Nevertheless: from 1990 to 1999 ten children died on the way to school. From 1999 to 2006 no (zero) child died on the way to school in this area.
Conclusions: Primary neurotrauma can be effectively prevented by a multidisciplinary approach. This has been confirmed by other regions, where mortalities on the way to school were reduced by two thirds since 1990 [1].
