Traumatic childhood deaths in Afyonkarahisar

Objective: We aimed to research the epidemiological and clinical properties of childhood deaths from autopsy records in Afyonkarahisar. Method: State prosecution files, autopsy reports, place investigations and death examination protocols of 122 cases among children 0 to 17 years were studied. Results: Seventy five (61.5%) of 122 were boys, mean age 9.1±5.4. The highest mortality was among children 5 to 9 years with 36 (29.5%) cases. Prominent mortality causes of trauma were motor vehicle accidents (59.8%). The origin of mortality causes were accidents (103 cases (84.4%)), suicide (11 cases (9.0%)) and homicide (8 cases (6.6%)). Mortality from motor vehicle accidents was most frequent (34.2%) among children 5 to 9 years. Thirty five (42.0%) of motor vehicle accidents were from trauma in vehicles. The most frequent wounded sides of the body were head and neck region (69.7%). Autopsy was performed in 26 (21.3%) cases. Conclusion: Motor vehicle accidents and falls are the leading causes in childhood traumas and motor vehicle accidents were mostly as pedestrian traumas. Mostly head and neck injuries were experienced and deaths occurred on scene. Besides, judicious physical evaluation may be enough to diagnose the mortality cause