Final answer:
Non-accidental trauma, particularly traumatic brain injuries (TBI), involve two phases of damage: the acute phase and the secondary excitotoxic phase, and can lead to significant complications including death and disability. TBI is often caused by deliberate harm rather than accidental events and may result in bleeding, infections, and other serious health issues.
Step-by-step explanation:
Characteristics of Non-Accidental Trauma
Non-accidental trauma refers to injuries resulting from deliberate harm rather than accidental causes. These injuries often present as traumatic brain or spinal cord injury. There are two phases of traumatic brain injury (TBI); the acute phase involves initial damage, and the secondary phase includes complications such as excitotoxicity, which involves glutamate dysregulation leading to calcium influx and neuron necrosis. TBI can be further complicated by blood flow alterations, hypoxia, swelling, and increased intracranial pressure. Head and traumatic brain injuries are significant causes of mortality and morbidity, with falls being the most common cause, especially among young children, adolescents, and the elderly. Unfortunately, pharmacological interventions for the secondary excitotoxic cascade resulting from TBI have not been successful in human clinical trials despite showing promise in animal studies.
Non-accidental injuries may also involve bleeding and infections, adding further complications to the primary injury. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, head injuries account for approximately 30 percent of injury-related deaths, highlighting the gravity of these types of injuries. Causes beyond falls include vehicle accidents, and these injuries are significant factors in both immediate death and long-term disability scenarios.