Citation

Tseng P, Kearl YL, Ansari A. Pediatr. Emerg. Care 2019; 35(4): e76-e78.

Affiliation

From the Department of Emergency Medicine, Los Angeles County-University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/PEC.0000000000001802

PMID

30870340

Abstract

Of the multitude of neurologic injuries related to roller-coaster rides, a majority of them are reported about adults. In this case, we present a patient who presented to the pediatric emergency department with new-onset seizure and hemiplegia 2 days after a roller-coaster ride. She was ultimately diagnosed with a subdural hematoma. The acceleration and G forces of roller coasters are hypothesized to cause enough stress and shearing forces that are thought to directly cause subdural hemorrhage.Advances in roller-coaster technology may surpass the passenger's physical capacity for acceleration and rotary forces, and we may see an increased number of medical complications after these rides. We recommend that emergency and pediatric health care providers consider amusement park thrill rides as a possible cause of subdural hematomas in previously healthy patients with new neurologic complaints.

Language: en