After head injury

YOUR CHILDS HEAD INJURY- INFORMATION AND ADVICE

Head traumas or head injuries are common in children and teens. Most of them are mild, with some local phenomena like bumps, bruises or cuts, but without brain damage or further neurologic complications.

The doctor who examined your child diagnosed a mild head trauma and you can therefore take your child home with the following instructions for his/her follow up:

  1. Observe your child closely for the first 24 – 48 hours. If you are unable to stay with them, please make sure that another responsible adult is with your child. Do not leave your child alone for any reason.
  2. Let your child rest or sleep as they would do normally but check on them frequently.

ATTENTION

If your child experiences any of the following signs or symptoms, you should immediately go to the nearest Emergency Department:

  • Loss of consciousness or lack of full consciousness
  • Drowsiness (especially during hours, when they would normally be awake) or difficulty to wake up
  • Confusion
  • Seizures or fits or strange movements
  • Repeated episodes of vomiting
  • Severe or worsening headache that won’t go away, despite taking painkillers
  • Difficulty walking or speaking
  • Changes in your child’s eyesight
  • Weakness or numbness in any part of your child’s body
  • Intense and inconsolable crying
  • Clear fluid or blood coming out of your child’s ear or nose
  • New hearing loss in one or both ears
  • Any changes in your child’s behaviour
Author: Bettina Schieder