ABSTRACT
Pediatric facial trauma accounts for approximately 5% of all pediatric traumas. It is distinct from adult facial trauma in a number of ways. Children tend to suffer from less severe injury; they demonstrate an accelerated ability to heal and adapt from trauma, and they often benefit from more conservative management. Children also present their own challenges, including distinct anatomy, different mechanisms of injury, and growing facial structures which can be affected by the trauma. Evaluation of pediatric facial injuries should begin with a close history and physical exam. In children who are very young or who do not communicate well with strangers, reliance on the parental account of the accident is helpful, as is their observation with regard to changes in the child's appearance. The vast majority of very young children presenting with soft tissue injuries of the face can be treated in the emergency room.
