It is evident that there are many differences between adults and children. When people grow up, not only their body but also their brain structure changes. This is one reason why kids and adults are treated by various medical specialists. Consequently, it is quite essential for healthcare providers to be aware of the differences between pediatric and adult anatomy not to harm a child, considering that the number of pediatric deaths across the U.S. is not low. Otherwise, if an EMS provider of another medical worker fails to recognize the differences properly, there may be confusion and treatment errors.
Generally, it is especially apparent that adults’ and kids’ anatomy vary in infancy and preschool period. To begin with, “a baby’s body surface to volume/weight ratio is higher than that of adults,” and the epidermis of infants is twenty percent thinner (Kosif & Keçialan, 2020, p. 355). Kids’ sebaceous glands are larger, while nails are thin and soft. Further, Kosif and Keçialan (2020) mention that medical care professionals need to remember that the hypothalamus in young children is undeveloped, which means that they cannot regulate their body temperature. Another significant and rather obvious difference is the tongue size: a child has a relatively bigger and longer tongue that may increase airway obstruction risk (Figaji, 2017). The researcher also states that, compared to adults, young children have a higher and more anterior larynx and compressible trachea with a smaller diameter (Figaji, 2017). Kids’ chest walls can be deformed more easily, and lung volumes are much smaller.
Further, since children’s bodies are underdeveloped, specific issues may arise. An average adult has more proportioned organs and stronger bones that are protected from breaking by muscles. At the same time, “infants have body surfaces as much as three times that of an adult, with proportionally large heads for their body size,” and their solid organs are also proportionally larger (Figaji, 2017, para. 16). What is more, their bones are weaker, which increases the possibility of their deformation or polytrauma when bones break, causing “injuries to underlying intrathoracic and intra-abdominal organs” (Figaji, 2017, para. 16). Another factor that increases this risk is that they have less intraperitoneal fat, and the abdominal musculature of young children is weaker and cannot provide proper protection. The difference between circulating blood volumes should also be mentioned: while “neonates have a circulating blood volume of approximately 85–90 ml/kg,” it is 65–70 ml/kg in adults (Figaji, 2017, para. 18). Therefore, medical professionals need to remember that equal loss of blood will have varied effects on a child and an adult.
As mentioned above, the kid’s head is larger, which also makes it rather heavy. Thus, this characteristic adds another difference: ligaments and muscles in the neck are still weak and undeveloped and cannot balance the head properly, increasing the risk of the cervical spine and head injuries (Kosif & Keçialan, 2020). What is more, their brain tissue is also more fragile, and the brain needs more glucose and oxygen. The anatomy of the eye also has some varied traits; thus, Kosif and Keçialan (2017) say that infants’ eyes tend to have shorter distances from the cornea to the retina. A small child’s face and nose are flatter, and unlike adults who rely on their stomach, infants are mostly abdominal breathers who use their diaphragm muscles for breathing. Overall, while these are not all differences between pediatric and adult anatomy, they may be enough for a medical worker to review and be able to provide quality healthcare services.
References
Figaji A. A. (2017). Anatomical and physiological differences between children and adults relevant to traumatic brain injury and the implications for clinical assessment and care. Frontiers in Neurology, 8, 685. Web.
Kosif, R., & Keçialan, R. (2020). Anatomical differences between children and adults. International Journal of Scientific Research and Management, 8(5), 355-359.