HEAD INJURY
A head injury is any injury to the head resulting from a fall or a direct blow to the head. The major concern when a child suffers a head injury is to assess for evidence of any injury to the brain. Because of the many small blood vessels in the skin of the face and scalp, even very minor head injuries will produce a large amount of bleeding or swelling at the site of injury. There is usually no real relationship between the amount of bleeding or swelling and the possibility of serious injury to the brain.
Bleeding from any location should be stopped by applying firm direct pressure for several minutes. If this pressure does not stop the bleeding, call our office or seek emergency medical attention. Once the bleeding has stopped, you can help to minimize the amount of swelling and discoloration by applying ice or another cold substance directly to the area. A bag of frozen vegetables often works well. If your child fights this, it is probably not worth the battle.
The most important question after any head injury is whether any injury has occurred to the brain. The following are symptoms that might be a sign of a brain injury. Watch your child closely for 48 hours after any head injury, and call our office if any of these symptoms occur. Wake your child every 3 to 4 hours during the first night after the injury to check for these symptoms. Do not let your child participate in any activities that might lead to a repeat head injury in the 48 hours after the injury.
- Increased drowsiness or inability to awaken from sleep.
- Vomiting more than 2 times.
- Behavior or personality changes (such as irritability or confusion.)
- Severe headache.
- Difficulty using arms or legs.
- Pupils unequal in size or not getting smaller equally whan a light is shined in the eyes.
- Slurred speech or difficulty talking.
- Seizures.
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