Which pediatric skull feature influences TBI patterns?

• A. Open sutures/fontanelles and proportionally larger head size in children
• B. Thicker skull bones in children
• C. Reduced brain development
• D. Shorter head length in children

Answer: (C)

Pediatric TBI patterns are shaped by the skull’s characteristics in children. Open sutures and fontanelles, along with a proportionally larger head, make the skull more flexible and allow the brain to move more inside the skull during an impact. That increased brain movement and the greater angular, rotational forces tend to produce injury patterns like diffuse axonal injury and subdural hematomas that are different from adults. In contrast, thicker skull bones are not typical in children, and reduced brain development or shorter head length aren’t the skull features that drive these patterns. So, the open sutures/fontanelles and larger head size are the factors that influence pediatric TBI patterns.