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Paediatric coma scales

Paediatric coma scales
Paediatric coma scales
Traumatic and non-traumatic coma is a common problem in paediatric practice with high mortality and morbidity. Early recognition of the potential for catastrophic deterioration in a variety of settings is essential and several coma scales have been developed for recording depth of consciousness that are widely used in clinical practice in adults and children. Prediction of outcome is probably less important, as this may be able to be modified by appropriate emergency treatment, and other clinical and neurophysiological criteria allow a greater degree of precision. The scales should be reliable, i.e. with little variation between observers and in test-retest by one observer, since this promotes confidence in the assessments at different time points and by different examiners. This is particularly important when the patient is being assessed by personnel dealing with adults as well as children, discussed on the telephone, handed over at shift change, or transferred between units or hospitals. The British Paediatric Neurology Association has recommended one of the modified child's Glasgow coma scales (CGCS) for use in the UK. This review looks at the recent history of the development of coma scales and the rationale for recommending the CGCS.
0012-1622
267-274
Kirkham, FenellaJ.
1dfbc0d5-aebe-4439-9fb2-dac6503bcd58
Newton, Charles R.J.
efad95f0-8647-440e-aeae-527f30d0cac7
Whitehouse, William
5cede507-72cf-41cd-963d-1b7cce61fed5
Kirkham, FenellaJ.
1dfbc0d5-aebe-4439-9fb2-dac6503bcd58
Newton, Charles R.J.
efad95f0-8647-440e-aeae-527f30d0cac7
Whitehouse, William
5cede507-72cf-41cd-963d-1b7cce61fed5

Kirkham, FenellaJ., Newton, Charles R.J. and Whitehouse, William (2008) Paediatric coma scales. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 50 (4), 267-274. (doi:10.1111/j.1469-8749.2008.02042.x).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Traumatic and non-traumatic coma is a common problem in paediatric practice with high mortality and morbidity. Early recognition of the potential for catastrophic deterioration in a variety of settings is essential and several coma scales have been developed for recording depth of consciousness that are widely used in clinical practice in adults and children. Prediction of outcome is probably less important, as this may be able to be modified by appropriate emergency treatment, and other clinical and neurophysiological criteria allow a greater degree of precision. The scales should be reliable, i.e. with little variation between observers and in test-retest by one observer, since this promotes confidence in the assessments at different time points and by different examiners. This is particularly important when the patient is being assessed by personnel dealing with adults as well as children, discussed on the telephone, handed over at shift change, or transferred between units or hospitals. The British Paediatric Neurology Association has recommended one of the modified child's Glasgow coma scales (CGCS) for use in the UK. This review looks at the recent history of the development of coma scales and the rationale for recommending the CGCS.

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Published date: 2008

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 70187
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/70187
ISSN: 0012-1622
PURE UUID: f2a05d62-56a2-42ea-88b4-3e0da9baf329
ORCID for FenellaJ. Kirkham: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-2443-7958

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Date deposited: 04 Mar 2010
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 02:45

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Author: Charles R.J. Newton
Author: William Whitehouse

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