Injuries to the spine and abdomen in motor vehicle accidents increase with ill fitting seat belts on children

Harsh Grewal, M.D., a pediatric surgeon at Temple University School of Medicine and Hospital, published an article in the August issue of the Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine. As a result of research conducted by Dr. Grewal and some of his colleagues, they determined that children who were secured with ill-fitting seatbelts were at a higher incidence of “seat belt syndrome.” Seat belt syndrome is the term used to describe injuries to the spine and abdomen suffered in a motor vehicle accident when a seat belt is used.

Dr. Grewal warns “unless physicians are diligent, spinal-cord injuries are hard to diagnose in children. . . . If [a] spinal-cord injury is missed or not diagnosed early, the consequences can be devastating.”

Dr. Grewal advises that the best place to identify and treat a potential spinal-cord injury is at the scene of the accident. Bruises or marks from the seatbelt, complaints of tenderness in the spine and neurological deficits should prompt the health care provider at the scene to consider seat belt syndrome and treat accordingly.

The Monahan Law Practice
300 North Pottstown Pike
Suite 210
Exton, PA 19341-2233

Phone: (610) 363-3888
Fax: (610) 363-2429