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Head injury - Management
Basis for recommendation
- The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) is used internationally in clinical practice to assess the depth and duration of impaired consciousness and coma.
- The scale describes the various states of impaired consciousness encountered in clinical practice by assessing three different aspects of behavioural response: motor response, verbal response, and eye opening. Each response is evaluated independently of the other and graded according to a rank order that indicates the degree of dysfunction.
- GCS has proven practical value in a wide range of settings and does not require special training. It should be applied to all people (including those who appear to be intoxicated), and scores should reflect actual observed activity without attempting to make allowance for intoxication [Teasdale and Jennett, 1974].
- The recommendations on when to suspect child maltreatment are based on the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellent guideline [NICE, 2009].
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