injuries and poisoning
Spinal Cord Injury in Children
Causes of Spinal Cord Injury in Children
Spinal cord injury can be caused by pulling or stretching of the spinal cord, pressure on the nerves or spinal cord (spinal cord impingement), spinal cord concussion (similar to a brain Concussion ), and injury to the blood vessels. In children younger than 8 years, neck spinal injuries are most commonly caused by motor vehicle crashes, falls, and child abuse. In children older than 8 years, motor vehicle crashes and sports injuries, particularly injuries due to gymnastics, diving, horseback riding, American football, and wrestling, are common causes of spine injuries. Compared with adults, children have distinct anatomic features (such as larger head size-to-body ratio and elasticity of spinal ligaments) that make the structures protecting the spinal cord (including the vertebrae) more flexible. Because these structures are so flexible, the spinal cord can be less protected from being stretched, torn, compressed, or otherwise damaged when the neck is injured. Thus, the spinal cord can be more likely to be damaged even when the vertebrae are not damaged. 