Traumatic spinal paralysis in children

A series of 29 children treated at Rancho Los Amigos Hospital with traumatic paraplegia commencing under the age of 13 years is reviewed. Eighty per cent. of these children are found to have major spinal cord lesions with minimal, or no vertebral injury. Observations at surgery and autopsy are used to try to explain the pathology of these lesions. The details of follow-up, including the incidence of various complications, are used to study the survival of these patients.