Radiographic Analysis of Fracture Patterns Seen in Children Under Five at University of Benin Teaching Hospital

Fractures in children under five years of age constitute a distinct clinical entity due to the unique biomechanical properties of the immature skeleton, patterns of injury, and implications for safeguarding. This retrospective radiographic study analyses the pattern, mechanism, and management of fractures in children below five years presenting at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Edo State, South South Nigeria, over a four-year period. Radiographic records and clinical case notes will be reviewed for fracture type, site, mechanism of injury, age group, sex, time to presentation, management received, and healing outcomes. Fractures suspicious for non-accidental injury will be identified and cross-referenced with documented safeguarding referrals. Frequency distributions will describe the pattern, and chi-square tests will assess associations between injury mechanism and fracture type. The study hypothesises that greenstick and torus fractures of the forearm and toddler fractures of the tibia predominate in this age group. Findings will be shared with the paediatric orthopaedic unit and the hospital's child protection team to strengthen early identification protocols for non-accidental injury. This research contributes to the evidence base on paediatric fracture epidemiology in South South Nigeria, where formal paediatric orthopaedic data remain scarce. Keywords: paediatric fractures, radiographic analysis, non-accidental injury, UBTH, Edo State.