Consensus Recommendations of the Academic College of Emergency Experts in India on the Evaluation and Management of Polytrauma in Children Presenting to the Emergency Department in India

Sep 30, 2026

Uploaded by dawugda

India faces the highest rates of road-traffic-accident deaths among children worldwide, demanding an integrated, evidence-based and consensus approach for evaluating and managing critically injured children. A consensus meeting of the Academic College of Emergency Experts produced an India-specific guideline after literature review and multiple online sessions. Development relied on retrospective cohort and multicenter pediatric trauma studies to define local epidemiology and management needs. The guideline includes the national polytrauma scenario, trauma-chain of survival, triage and an ED patient approach, aiming to standardize care across settings and stimulate robust outcome data collection.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Current scenario for the evaluation and management of pediatric trauma in India

| Policy Paper | | --- | | | Consensus Recommendations of the Academic College of Emergency Experts in India on the Evaluation and Management of Polytrauma in Children Presenting to the Emergency Department in India Neha Thakur (Rai), Midhun Mohan1, Yadvendra Dheer2, Prashant Mahajan3, Sanjeev Bhoi4,5, Sagar Galwankar6, Jabeen Fayyaz7, Vishal Bisan Bedi Gammey2, Narendra Rai8, Samir Misra2 Department of Paediatrics, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, 2Department of Trauma Surgery, KGMU, 8Department of Pediatrics, Chandan Hospital, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 1Department of Emergency Medicine and Critical Care, Kozhikode District Co-operative Hospital, Kozhikode, Kerala, 4Department of Emergency Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, 5WHO CCET, New Delhi, India, 3Department of Emergency Medicine, Section of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 6Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine, Florida State University, Sarasota, FL, USA, 7The Hospital for Sick Children-Sickkids, University of Toronto, Canada Abstract India, with the highest rate of road traffic accident‐related deaths among children in the world, urgently needs an integrated system of care and an evidence‐based, consensus approach for the evaluation and management of critically injured children. To develop a country‐specific guideline for the systematic assessment and emergency management of critically injured children, a consensus meeting comprising members of the Academic College of Emergency Experts was held at the National Institute of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi, on November 7, 2023. This was followed by an exhaustive literature search on selected areas of concern and multiple online meetings to arrive at this consensus guideline. The process for developing India‐specific guidelines was based on retrospective cohort studies and multicenter studies on the management of pediatric trauma in India. These studies were crucial for understanding the local epidemiology and management of pediatric trauma. The guideline and the clinical pathway have been produced as a tool for all healthcare workers, including the prehospital staff, the emergency department (ED) doctors, as well as nurses, surgeons, and intensive care unit physicians and nurses involved in the care of an injured child. The guideline includes the following key components: The current scenario of polytrauma in children in India; the trauma chain of survival; triage, and the systematic approach to a patient in the ED. This guideline aims to standardise the approach to injured children across the country. We urge the development and creation of a robust data repository of minimal standard data elements in all the EDs to facilitate systematic measurement of the care processes and patient outcomes, providing more evidence that can be used to further modify this guideline. Keywords: Children, guidelines, injury, polytrauma, pediatric trauma resuscitation module, road traffic accidents, trauma IntroductIon India ranks first globally for road traffic crash deaths in children aged 0 to 14 years, accounting for almost 11% of the accident related deaths in the world. [1,2] This crisis extends beyond fatalities, as India is responsible for 17.6% of the world’s disability‑adjusted life years in this age group, indicating a massive long‑term impact on health and quality of life.[2] | Access this article online | | | --- | --- | | Quick Response Code:
| Website:
[https://journals.lww.com/onlinejets](https://journals.lww.com/onlinejets) | | | DOI:
10.4103/jets.jets_50_25 | Address for correspondence: Dr. Neha Thakur (Rai), Department of Paediatrics, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow-226 010, Uttar Pradesh, India. E-mail: [nehaimsbhu@gmail.com](nehaimsbhu@gmail.com) This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Att

FAQs

Why is an evidence-based consensus guideline needed for pediatric polytrauma in India?

India has the world’s highest rate of road-traffic-accident-related deaths among children, creating an urgent need for coordinated care. The guideline is designed to provide a systematic, evidence-based approach for critically injured children.

How was the India-specific guideline developed?

It was created through a consensus meeting of the Academic College of Emergency Experts, followed by an exhaustive literature search and multiple online meetings. The process used retrospective cohort and multicenter studies on pediatric trauma management in India.

What are the key components included in the guideline for ED management?

The guideline covers the current scenario of pediatric polytrauma in India, the trauma chain of survival, and a triage-focused systematic approach to managing a patient in the emergency department.

Sep 30, 2026

Uploaded by dawugda