Head Injury in Children

There are many types of head injuries. They can be as minor as a bump. Some head injuries can be worse. Worse injuries include:

• A strong hit to the head that hurts the brain (concussion).
• A bruise of the brain (contusion). This means there is bleeding in the brain that can cause swelling.
• A cracked skull (skull fracture).
• Bleeding in the brain that gathers, gets thick (makes a clot), and forms a bump (hematoma).

Most problems from a head injury come in the first 24 hours. However, your child may still have side effects up to 7–10 days after the injury. It is important to watch your child’s condition for any changes.

Follow these instructions at home:

Medicines

• Give over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your child’s doctor.
• Do not give your child aspirin because of the association with Reye syndrome.

Activity

• Have your child:
  • Rest as much as possible. Rest helps the brain heal.
  • Avoid activities that are hard or tiring.
• Make sure your child gets enough sleep.
• Limit activities that need a lot of thought or attention, such as:
  • Watching TV.
  • Playing memory games and puzzles.
  • Doing homework.
  • Working on the computer, social media, and texting.
• Keep your child from activities that could cause another head injury, such as:
  • Riding a bicycle.
  • Playing sports.
  • Playing in gym class or recess.
  • Climbing on a playground.
• Ask your child’s doctor when it is safe for your child to return to his or her normal activities. Ask your child’s doctor for a step-by-step plan for your child to slowly go back to activities.

General instructions

• Watch your child carefully for symptoms that are new or getting worse. This is very important in the first 24 hours after the head injury.
• Keep all follow-up visits as told by your child’s doctor. This is important.
• Tell all of your child’s teachers and other caregivers about your child’s injury, symptoms, and activity restrictions. Have them report any problems that are new or getting worse.

How is this prevented?

Your child should:

• Wear a seatbelt when he or she is in a moving vehicle.
• Use the right-sized car seat or booster seat when in a moving vehicle.
• Wear a helmet when:
  • Riding a bicycle.
  • Skiing.
  • Doing any other sport or activity that has a risk of injury.

You can:

• Make your home safer for your child.
  • Childproof any dangerous parts of your home.
  • Install window guards and safety gates.
• Make sure the playground that your child uses is safe.

Get help right away if:

• Your child has:
  • A very bad (severe) headache that is not helped by medicine.
  • Clear or bloody fluid coming from his or her nose or ears.
  • Changes in his or her seeing (vision).
  • Jerky movements that he or she cannot control (seizure).
• Your child’s symptoms get worse.
• Your child throws up (vomits).
• Your child’s dizziness gets worse.
• Your child cannot walk or does not have control over his or her arms or legs.
• Your child will not stop crying.
• Your child passes out.
• You cannot wake up your child.
• Your child is sleepier and has trouble staying awake.
• Your child will not eat or nurse.
• The black centers of your child’s eyes (pupils) change in size.

These symptoms may be an emergency. Do not wait to see if the symptoms will go away. Get medical help right away. Call your local emergency services.