GICS Pediatric Trauma Care Course
Trauma remains the leading cause of death and disability among children aged 1 to 15 globally—accounting for more pediatric mortality than tuberculosis, HIV, and malaria combined. Yet the burden is not evenly distributed. An estimated 95% of injury-related deaths in children occur in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), often due to a lack of timely, effective trauma care.
To address this urgent need, the GICS Trauma Working Group, in collaboration with the Primary Trauma Care Foundation (PTCF), has developed the Pediatric Trauma Care Course (PTCC) a comprehensive, practical guide designed to train frontline providers in the acute management of severely injured children, using the resources available in low-resource settings.
A Practical, Adaptable Approach to Pediatric Trauma
The course is built around the C-ABCDE framework and emphasizes a systematic approach to trauma care that can be adapted across diverse healthcare environments. Key topics include:
The unique anatomical and physiological considerations in pediatric trauma
Primary and secondary survey techniques
Immediate management of airway, breathing, circulation, disability, and exposure
Focused modules on chest, abdominal, head, spinal, and burn injuries
Guidance on fluid resuscitation, pain management, and trauma prevention strategies
Importantly, the course stresses that “children are not small adults” and outlines the specific modifications in care required to account for age, size, and developmental differences.
Tools, Tables, and Teaching Aids
The course manual includes dozens of illustrations, case examples, emergency checklists, and modified equipment lists based on WHO standards. Designed for ease of use in the field, it is as much a training tool as it is a reference guide for active clinical care.
Special thanks are extended to Dr. Abdelbasit E. Ali, lead author and chair of the GICS Pediatric Trauma Group, as well as the many contributing surgeons and educators from across the GICS community. We are also grateful to Mr. Charles Clayton, Dr. James de Courcy, and Dr. Nigel Rossiter of PTCF for their foundational contributions to this resource.
You may download the GICS Pediatric Trauma Care Course here
Educational Handouts
The GICS Trauma Working Group wishes to share educational handouts that can be downloaded and printed for your use. We hope to have the handouts translated into other languages in the near future.
