Specialty: Children's Orthopaedic
Age group: Children
Direct to an emergency department
- Acute spinal trauma
- Clinical signs of spinal nerve root or spinal cord compression associated with rapidly progressive neurological signs or symptoms or suspected cauda equina syndrome
- If the child is unable to ambulate or move the spine
- New diagnosis of spinal tumour with neurological deficits
- Recent spinal trauma or fracture associated with neurological deficits
- Suspected spinal infection (e.g. child is unwell, listless, flushed, anorexic or is febrile).
Criteria for referral to public hospital service
Not applicable.
Information to be included in the referral
Not applicable.
Additional comments
The Minimum information for referrals to non-admitted specialist services lists the information that should be included in a referral request.
As children with back trauma should be referred to an appropriate emergency department for orthopaedic assessment, public hospital specialist clinics should not receive any referrals for this presenting problem.
Where appropriate and available the referral may be directed to an alternative specialist clinic or service.
Referral to a public hospital is not appropriate for
Not applicable.
Updated