A 9-year old child falls off the back of a tricycle and hits his head hard. However, there is no loss of consciousness. The boy is taken to the emergency room by his parents. He seems to be well-oriented and alert, and there are no focal findings upon examination. There is, however, blood found behind his left tympanic membrane.
Keeping these findings in mind, what will a CT scan of his skull likely show?
A- Basilar skull fracture
B- Epidural hematoma
C- Hydrocephalus
D- Subdural hematoma
Answer
Due to the nature of the fall, the child has suffered a basilar skull fracture. This means that there is a break in the bone at the base of his skull. The common symptoms of a basilar skull fracture include blood behind the eardrum, bruising around the eyes, or bruising behind the ears. Diagnosis of a basilar skull fracture is typically done by a CT scan.
The correct answer is A