The current situation in the child trauma services in Croatia

In the Republic of Croatia there is a high number of children's injuries and a high mortality rate and the occurrence of early invalidity as a result of these accidents, despite a large number of preventive campaigns and demands that child trauma be given the status of an endemic disease. These injuries are not only worrying in large cities, but in all Croatian hospitals and the relevant rehabilitation centers. Child injury demands special treatment with special conditions to avoid high mortality and the occurrence of early invalidity, which are not available in a large number of hospital in Croatia. Quality care for child trauma which reduces the occurrence of invalidity demands special wards, child traumologists, anesthesiologists and neuro-surgeons acquainted with the specific problems of children, and intensive care units suitable for children and nurses with pediatric training. In the same way, rehabilitation centers must be acquainted with the specifics of child care. The necessary conditions are not available in all hospitals in Croatia, nor are the attitudes towards treatment of child injuries unified. The Referral center in the Republic of Croatia, being aware of the situation, in 2001 carried out a survey of hospitals to gain an insight into the seriousness of the situation and to attempt to answer the question of how to treat children’s injuries and avoid the high percentage of mortality and early invalidity.