When a child suffers a fall or a blow it is always a concern for parents, especially if they have received a hard blow to the head.
Head shots are frequent in children who begin to take their first steps. They also tend to be the result of falls from high places such as changing tables, chairs or tables, or in older children, accidents on skates or by bicycle for not using the helmet properly.
At all stages of development children are susceptible to suffering, and although most of the time they are not serious, they can cause serious injuries, therefore it is very important to know what to do if the child is hit in the head.
The concern is that the risk of head trauma is associated with the possibility of its occurrence. a brain injury, something that occurs more frequently in children under the year.
Head injury
A head injury It is defined as any physical or functional alteration caused by external traumatic force that causes physical damage to the brain (for example the brain) or any of its covers (bones of the skull, etc.).
Most trauma only produce injuries on the surface of the head such as bruises, wounds and pain in the area of the blow.
Unfortunately, it is also a very frequent injury in traffic accidents, either when children go as vehicle passengers or victims of abuses, and in children who are mistreated.
Warning symptoms after a severe blow to the head
Normally, a blow to the head will cause pain, and most likely, a bruise (bump) and swelling.
However, if you notice any of the following alert symptoms you must go immediately to the emergency room:
- -Excessive sleepiness, difficulty waking you up. It is an extended myth that the child should not be allowed to sleep after having suffered a blow to the head. It is not necessary to keep you awake. If it is time for a nap or going to sleep, after the blow, you will feel down. You must rest and recover. It will be enough to watch that he wakes up normally.
- Loss of consciousness
- Vomiting
- Seizures
- Confusion or disorientation
- Blurred vision or other type of visual disturbance
- Speech impairment
- Permanent crying, irritability
- Trouble walking or coordination problems
- Intense headache
- Bleeding from nose or ears
- Weakness or numbness of some arm or leg
What to do before a blow to the head
It's very important monitor the child after having suffered a severe blow to the head. You must be accompanied at all times by an adult and evaluate the occurrence of any of the warning symptoms we have discussed before.
For its part, you have to keep it in a calm and quiet environment, with the head slightly raised, apply local cold (ice wrapped in a rag) and offer cold liquids in small shots so as not to favor vomiting.
If major injuries are suspected the child should not be moved, especially the neck, because an injury to the cervical spine could have occurred.
If if there was a cut the wound should be washed with water, check that there are no embedded objects and press the wound with gauze to cut the bleeding. If the wound is deep, it may require sutures, so you should go to the emergency room.
In hematoma case or bumpy, when applying ice locally it should be reduced. If, on the contrary, the hematoma increases in size, you should also go to the hospital for a medical evaluation.
Also, before the appearance of any of the symptoms we have mentioned or a worsening of the general condition of the child you must go to the emergency room, whether they occur immediately or within 48 hours after the blow occurred.
Although there is very little chance of developing a serious injury in the following hours if the initial examination is favorable, it is important to be alert to any type of abnormality.
In the hospital or health center, the doctor will assess the level of consciousness of the child and his general condition and determine, where appropriate, the necessary tests to assess the possibility of brain damage such as radiography or CT.
In summary…
The blows to the head They are one of the most common accidents in childhood. Most of the time they are not serious, but they can cause a brain injury, therefore it is very important to know what to do if the child is hit hard on the head to provide first aid and assess if it is necessary to see a doctor.
