Pediatric Trauma Systems in the United States: Do They Make a Difference?

In this review, we briefly discuss the general epidemiology of trauma to young children with respect to injury mechanism, followed by a discussion of trauma systems, including an evaluation of trauma outcome. Pediatric emergency care exists within trauma systems, yet its effect on the reduction of morbidity and mortality remains unclear. We discuss the consequences of acute management of injured children in a nonpediatric trauma center and evaluate how children fare in the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma pediatric-verified trauma centers.