Anthropometry and numerical simulations of a child head model

Abstract

During growth, a child's head undergoes different modifications in morphology and structure. This chapter presents an anthropometric study in terms of dimension compared to a mathematical method called "the scaling method" consisting of reducing the adult head model with a scaling coefficient to obtain a child head. A detailed sizes and shape analysis of brain contour in sagittal and frontal plans is proposed, for child head versus a scaled adult head. The superimposition of these contours allowed pointing to main differences. Numerical simulations performed with detailed child head model of Strasbourg University, and a scaled adult head finite element model, showed that reducing an adult finite element model to obtain a child head by scaling method does not seem to be realistic. Then, the anthropometry of child head is a fundamental aspect and the creation of specific finite element models of child head are necessary to investigate child injury mechanisms at a numerical level.