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Retrospective review of dog bite injuries in children presenting to a S outh A ustralian tertiary children's hospital emergency department
Author(s) -
Chiam Su C,
Solanki Nicholas S,
Lodge Michelle,
Higgins Malcolm,
Spar Anthony L
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of paediatrics and child health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.631
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1440-1754
pISSN - 1034-4810
DOI - 10.1111/jpc.12642
Subject(s) - medicine , dog bite , emergency department , retrospective cohort study , pediatrics , head and neck , tertiary care , emergency medicine , surgery , psychiatry , virology , rabies
Aim To describe the characteristics, circumstances and consequences of dog bite injuries in children in order to inform the discourse concerning preventative approaches. Method A retrospective review of children presenting to the emergency department ( ED ) of the W omen's and C hildren's H ospital ( WCH ) in S outh A ustralia between the years 2009 and 2011 was performed. Results A total of 277 children presented to the WCH with dog bite injuries between 2009 and 2011. Of those, 141(51.0%) were referred for admission. Injury rates were highest in those aged 0–4, declining thereafter with age. In the 0–4 year age group, 89.5% of children presented after being bitten by a familiar dog with 92.5% occurring at home. The head/neck region constituted the most common location for injuries. We found that 67.5% of dog bite injuries were provoked and occurred between the child and a familiar dog (78.0%). Dogs from the bull terrier group (20.0%) and J ack R ussell Terriers (11.0%) were the two most documented breeds. Almost half of the children presenting during the specified timeframe required at least one operation under a general anaesthetic. Two children were referred to a psychologist for management of post‐traumatic stress. Conclusion Dog bite injuries are common in children and often require admission for inpatient care. This presents as a significant public health burden. For this reason, prevention initiatives need to be implemented on an ongoing basis.