Severe brain injury in children aged 0-5 years in urban areas: the role of socio-economic development and parental responsibility.

Cranioencephalic trauma is a transient or permanent cerebral dysfunction resulting from a direct or indirect shock applied to the skull and its contents. The aim of this study was to establish the aetiological and favourable factors for the occurrence of cranioencephalic trauma in children under 5 years of age in an urban environment, in order to expose the implication of socio-economic development and parental responsibility. This was a 5-year mixed-methods analytical study from 10/07/2017 to 10/07/2022. It included 50 children, who were hospitalised at the neurosurgery department of Fann Hospital in Dakar for cranioencephalic trauma (CET) with a Blantyre score ≤ 2/5 and a GCS ≤ 8. During the study period, we had collected 50 children with severe CET. The mean age of the patients was 30.25 months with extremes of 01 months and 60 months. At 1 year post-CET, 8 children, i.e., 16% of the children, were seen with neurological after-effects such as motor disorders, with a p value of 0.041 ˂ 0.05. We are living in a period where the technological revolution is taking a big step forward every day. The misuse of NICT and the socio-economic stability of parents seem to influence the occurrence of severe CET in small children. It is becoming more and more frequent with the lack of supervision of children in favour of communication and leisure tools.