Trivial Blunt Chest Trauma Leading to Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in a Child

Both blunt and penetrating chest trauma in children are less common than adults but cause severe acute morbidity mortality. As the literature suggests, pulmonary contusion is most injury children, occurring more half of all cases. Even patients with injuries likely to have a longer hospital stay. The difference physiological anatomical variations compared makes it difficult from diagnosis, management, monitoring perspectives. A thorough physical examination needed close clinical monitoring, additional vigilance important during management child. physiologic consequences, such as dreaded complication alveolar hemorrhage parenchymal destruction, usually manifest within few hours can take up seven days recover. Hence, timely diagnosis crucial emergency evaluation. be supported by special imaging modality form computed tomography (CT), which confirms radiological destruction high sensitivity. Management mostly supportive start includes high-flow oxygen, ventilatory pressure support for severity lung (ALI) or respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), judicious fluid administration, control pain associated bony thoracic soft tissue injuries, careful hemodynamic other complications sequelae develop. Here, we report an interesting case 10-year-old male child presenting Pediatric Emergency Department moderate-to-severe that developed after two vomiting episodes along non-specific lower substernal following chest. was trivial nature described father caused accidental fall on small pile bricks while playing near his home. After triaging under red category, managed line distress. We ruled out pneumothorax, hemorrhagic pleural effusion pericardial effusion, evidence invasive well gross abdominal comprehensive focused history examinations, including adjuncts point-of-care ultrasound) X-ray (CXR). Although initial arterial blood gas analyses were suggestive mild ARDS ALI criteria based P:F ratio (PaO2 FiO2 ratio, between 200 300 case), CXR CT revealed had significant bilateral fluffy infiltrates. This indicates even induce certain mechanisms injury, leading manifestations sometimes fatal contusion, hemorrhage, ARDS.