palchak_pediatric_head_trauma_rule: Palchak (UC Davis) Rule for Pediatric Head Trauma

In cliot: Clinical Indices and Outcomes Tools

Palchak (UC Davis) Rule for Pediatric Head Trauma

Description

Calculates the Palchak (UC Davis) Rule to identify children at low risk for traumatic brain injury (TBI) after blunt head trauma. The rule helps determine the need for head CT imaging. Children with none of the high-risk criteria are considered low risk and may be managed with observation.

Usage

palchak_pediatric_head_trauma_rule(abnormal_mental_status,
                                   clinical_signs_skull_fracture,
                                   history_vomiting,
                                   scalp_hematoma_child_le_2y,
                                   headache)

Arguments

abnormal_mental_status	Numeric (0 or 1). Is there abnormal mental status (e.g., GCS < 15, agitation, somnolence, slow response, repetitive questioning)? (1 = Yes).
clinical_signs_skull_fracture	Numeric (0 or 1). Are there clinical signs of skull fracture (e.g., palpable fracture, hemotympanum, raccoon eyes, Battle's sign, CSF leak)? (1 = Yes).
history_vomiting	Numeric (0 or 1). Is there a history of vomiting? (1 = Yes).
scalp_hematoma_child_le_2y	Numeric (0 or 1). Is there a scalp hematoma in a child aged 2 years or younger? (1 = Yes).
headache	Numeric (0 or 1). Is there a history of headache? (1 = Yes).

Value

A list containing:

Risk_Classification	"High Risk" or "Low Risk".
Recommendation	Clinical guidance regarding the need for CT imaging.

References

Palchak MJ, Holmes JF, Vance CW, et al. A decision rule for identifying children at low risk for brain injuries after blunt head trauma. Ann Emerg Med. 2003;42(4):492-506. doi:10.1016/s0196-0644(03)00463-7

Examples

# Example 1: Low Risk
# No symptoms or signs
palchak_pediatric_head_trauma_rule(0, 0, 0, 0, 0)

# Example 2: High Risk
# History of vomiting (1)
palchak_pediatric_head_trauma_rule(0, 0, 1, 0, 0)

cliot documentation built on Dec. 1, 2025, 1:06 a.m.