Most children with head trauma observed at home.

A recent survey suggests that most physicians choose clinic or home observation for initial management of minor pediatric head trauma.

Pediatricians, family physicians and emergency physicians from a random sample of the American Academy of Pediatrics and other organizations were given clinical vignettes describing children presenting with normal physical examination results after experiencing minor head trauma. Different clinical scenarios such as brief loss of consciousness or seizures also were included.

Of 765 surveys that were returned, for minor head trauma without complications, observation at home was chosen by 547 (72 percent) of physicians. …