PEDIATRICS Vol. 78 No. 6 December 1986, pp. 1169
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow P3Rs: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when P3Rs are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by SCHWARTZ, R. H.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by SCHWARTZ, R. H.

Alcohol, Drugs, and Head Injury

RICHARD H. SCHWARTZ MD1

1 410 Maple Ave W, Vienna, VA 22180

To the Editor.—

Jacobson and colleagues (Pediatrics 1986;77:236-24l) present a convincing case for comprehensive reassessment of adolescents with serious closed head injuries. However, they make no mention of evaluating such patients for drug or alcohol abuse. Such abuse/dependency can contribute significantly to the etiology of traumatic injuries.

We interviewed 202 middle-class adolescents in treatment for drug/alcohol abuse/dependency: 86 (43%) had been involved in at least one motor vehicle accident while intoxicated by drugs, alcohol, or both; 50% had been involved in more than one such incident.