The child hit his head, something to pay attention to. A child fell and hit his head - what to do? Signs of a concussion in children

The energy of children contributes not only to understanding the world, but also to receiving various types of injuries. In babies with uncoordinated movements, the head mostly suffers. When preparing for the arrival of a new family member, it is worth assessing the home environment in terms of the presence of traumatic items (for example, furniture with sharp corners) and try to remove them.

But this will not completely protect the young researcher, because he can fall even on a flat floor while learning to walk. If a child hits his head, you should quickly, without panicking, assess the severity of the injury. It depends on the strength and location of the impact whether it will be just a bump or whether it is worth rushing to the hospital.

Indeed, often a blow to the forehead is accompanied only by a bruise of soft tissues - a bump appears on the child’s head. It forms in the same way as any bruise, but it will be convex due to a large number of small vessels that burst and fill nearby tissues with blood.

Serious injuries from such a blow are unlikely, since the strong frontal bone reliably protects the head. But you should play it safe and call a pediatrician if your newborn hits his forehead. The younger the victim, the more serious consequences a hematoma on the forehead can have.

However, a strong blow can cause a traumatic brain injury. The open injury is obvious: there is a wound on the head and obvious bone damage. It is treated surgically in combination with medication.

With a closed injury, the skin and bones are externally intact, but there are internal injuries, the signs of which should be known.

Closed head injuries vary in severity:

1. With a brain injury, loss of consciousness usually occurs and breathing is impaired. You may experience ear or nosebleeds, dark circles around the eyes, problems with speech, and disturbances in facial expressions due to damage to the facial nerve. To treat a mild bruise, a course of medications is prescribed, but only a surgeon can eliminate the consequences of a severe bruise.
2. Concussions from impact are diagnosed frequently by doctors and can usually be treated with medication without further complications. If a concussion occurs, a child may be unconscious for several minutes and then experience nausea, vomiting, and headache. If the doctor has prescribed medications and prescribed home bed rest, but the patient has persistent restless sleep or other alarming signs, it would be useful to call a pediatrician at home.
3. A skull fracture can be suspected by bloody discharge from the ears and nostrils. You should immediately go to the hospital to have an x-ray done. Treatment in this case involves surgery followed by medication.

A blow to the back of the head is no less dangerous

A blow to the back of the head can cause visual impairment. The occipital lobe of the brain is responsible for the functioning of the visual organs. Moreover, the consequences may not appear immediately, but after some time. Therefore, even if there are no complaints from the victim, it would be wiser to quickly show him to a specialist who knows what to do if the child hits the back of his head.

A rare, but extremely unpleasant complication occurs if the child hits the back of the head on the left side. Sometimes victims develop disturbances in the perception of the surrounding space on the left, they begin to forget everything, sleep poorly, and suffer from headaches. Similar phenomena can be observed when the back of the head is damaged on the right.

A strong blow to the back of the head can cause traumatic brain injury in the same way as a blow to the forehead.

What should a mother do if her baby falls?

1. Feel sorry for and calm the baby after a fall, and then examine him from all sides, starting from the head, for scratches, bruises, bleeding wounds on the forehead and the back of the head.
2. Calm down yourself and evaluate whether the fall was really serious. If the baby slipped from the sofa onto the carpet and bumped, then he cries more from fear and gets off with a bruise. But if he fell out of the high stroller and hit his head on the asphalt, his mother should worry.
3. The grown-up child is able to talk about what happened. You should ask him whether his head hurts or not, whether there is blurred vision. The pupils should not be constricted or dilated.
4. Measure the pulse and compare the data with the age norm (in newborns it reaches 130-140 beats per minute, then becomes less frequent as they grow older). Deviations from the norm should alert you.
5. Eliminate noisy entertainment and visual stress, but do not allow sleep. While sleeping, it will be more difficult to diagnose a concussion, if any.
6. It must be borne in mind that if, after hitting a child, he does not cry for several minutes, then, most likely, he lost consciousness.
7. Treat damaged skin. Small abrasions are disinfected with hydrogen peroxide, after which wound healing ointments are used. And if a child has a bump, then apply cooling compresses to it for 3 minutes to prevent swelling. In case of severe bleeding that could not be stopped within a quarter of an hour, as well as if the symptoms described above appear, you should call a doctor.
8. Schedule a visit to the clinic soon. It is necessary to show a child who has hit his head to a pediatrician to assess his general condition, an ophthalmologist to rule out visual disturbances after a blow, and a neurosurgeon to receive a referral for a brain examination.

Warning signs that you shouldn't stay home

If a child falls and hits their head, the most frightening consequence is brain damage. Moreover, its signs may not appear instantly, but after a few hours.

You should call an ambulance immediately if the following symptoms appear:

• loss of consciousness;
• deviation of heart rate from the age norm;
• bleeding from the ears or nose;
• vomiting, diarrhea with traces of blood;
• blue or pale skin;
• darkened skin under the eyes and behind the ears;
• deterioration in coordination of movements, twitching, numbness of the limbs;
• change in pupil size, squint;
• lethargy, drowsiness, changes in sleep patterns and patterns, tearfulness;
• lack of appetite;
• the child's lump is too swollen or a depression appears instead of a lump.

While waiting for the doctor to arrive, you should put the baby to bed, while distracting him and not allowing him to fall asleep. When vomiting, it is better to turn it on its side so that liquid does not enter the respiratory tract. Painkillers taken before the doctor arrives may interfere with assessing the baby’s condition.

If a child falls on his back and hits himself, there is a possibility of a spinal injury; he must be handled very carefully to avoid additional displacement of the vertebrae.

What to expect when admitted to hospital

The doctor will examine the victim, ask him or his parents to tell him about the blow, clarify whether he hit the back of the head or the forehead, assess the damage and advise on further actions.

The baby will probably be sent for a CT scan of the brain to rule out hemorrhages and fractures.
Patients up to one and a half years old are examined through a fontanelle that is not yet closed.

How to protect your child's head from blows

You should always be on guard with a baby. This even applies to a newborn, who, it would seem, cannot even turn on his side. After all, it is the absence of a mother that can prompt a baby to learn to roll over right on the changing table.

Such tables are convenient for parents, but from a safety point of view, a large soft surface (a bed or a blanket spread on the floor) is preferable for changing clothes. Let the baby always be under supervision or in a safe area - in the playpen.

It is unwise to neglect seat belts in a stroller. Although the baby is not yet able to get out of it, nothing can guarantee that the stroller will not tip over if it hits a bump. The straps will keep the little passenger from falling onto the road. It is not for nothing that there are belts on high chairs, because a fall from such a height onto the floor or tiles can result in injury.

When the baby begins to explore the space at home and often bumps, you need to look at the surrounding objects from the height of his height and protect every sharp corner with silicone pads. For children learning to walk, there are special socks and tights with non-slip soles.

Kids often trip and hit themselves when going down the stairs, so you need to not let go of the child's hand. While climbing the steps, you also need to hold the baby’s hand or secure him from behind, as there is a danger of falling on his back.

Many injuries happen on the playground. It is dangerous to play next to older children; it is better to distract and take your baby away. If it is not possible to leave, then the mother should be near the child. You need to be especially vigilant near swings, carousels and other moving structures.

Children who have shown a desire to master roller skates or a balance bike must immediately be taught that they must wear a helmet. The young athlete should also be taught how to fall correctly.

Parents should know what to do if their child does hit their head. And you need to patiently explain to your children how important it is not to hit themselves. Infants simply need to be protected, and older children need to be taught household safety rules.

Once a child begins to walk, falls and injuries become commonplace for parents. Often, a child hits his head while playing - this can be a collision with an obstacle while running, hitting the corner of a table, falling on the floor or asphalt. Babies also often get bumps and bruises as soon as their mother turns away for a second. As a rule, such situations frighten parents, and they call a doctor in panic. How to determine how badly a child is injured, what to do first and when to sound the alarm - we will consider below.

Inspection of the injured area and first aid to the child after an impact

If a child falls and hits his head, an initial examination should be performed immediately. A hard landing on the asphalt may be accompanied by external damage - scratches, abrasions on the forehead. In this case, they should be treated with hydrogen peroxide. If the skin is not broken, the injury is assessed in stages:

• The lump indicates a bruise of the soft tissues of the head (we recommend reading:). As a rule, in children it disappears within 1-2 hours.
• A hematoma may form at the site of injury - its appearance indicates damage to the blood vessels. However, a bruise can also occur due to a crack in the skull, which is much more dangerous.
• Severe bleeding and a deep wound are a reason to call an ambulance.

After examining the bruise, ice should be applied to the child's forehead. Its pieces should be wrapped in a clean cloth (handkerchief) and pressed onto the affected area for 10-15 seconds. Then take a short break (5-10 seconds) and press again. Instead of ice, you can use a chilled spoon, frozen meat or other cold object. The procedure should be carried out within a quarter of an hour. Usually these actions are enough for the lump to disappear, and the hematoma to become smaller and resolve faster.

Associated symptoms after hitting your head

If the head impact was not too strong, there may be no associated symptoms at all. In case of an unsuccessful fall, the following manifestations are possible:

• Redness of the skin.
• Abrasion or wound.
• A lump is a swelling at the site of impact measuring 3-5 cm. A larger size requires the intervention of a specialist.
• Hematoma is a bluish discoloration of the skin caused by damage to blood vessels. A bruise, unlike a bump, does not appear immediately, but within 1-2 hours after the incident.
• Pain at the site of the injury, aggravated by pressure.
• Sometimes, 2-3 days after hitting the forehead, the child develops blue discoloration under the eye above which he received the bump.

What signs should you sound the alarm about?

In addition to examining the site of the injury, you should evaluate general state child. If a baby hits an open door and cries, this does not mean that the injury is serious. Children are often frightened by an unexpected blow, so you need to try to calm and distract the baby. However, the consequences of a blow can also be a concussion or a crack in the skull.

It is important not to panic, but to pay attention to the following signs:

• Pupils. Their size should be the same; if one is smaller than the other, a concussion occurs.
• Unusual child behavior. If the baby is too lethargic after a fall, begins to yawn, becomes sleepy, or has short-term loss of consciousness, he should definitely be shown to a doctor.
• Another sign of a concussion is nausea and vomiting (more details in the article:). In a small child, this symptom may manifest itself as regurgitation, and it will become difficult to eat.
• It is necessary to measure the baby's pulse - it should be within 100 beats per minute, for an infant - 120. Slowing the heartbeat is an alarming signal.
• After your baby hits his forehead, his temperature may rise. This situation also requires contacting a specialist. To rule out a crack in the skull, your doctor may recommend taking an X-ray of the head. The pediatrician will also refer you for consultation to a neurosurgeon and ophthalmologist.
• Some doctors do not advise putting your baby to bed right away, even if it is time for bed. This recommendation is due to the fact that it is easier to observe the child while he is awake in order to notice deviations in his behavior in time. It’s worth trying to distract him from what happened and take a closer look at how the baby behaves.

Treatment of a bump on the forehead

Sometimes a lump on a child’s forehead becomes alarmingly large and does not disappear immediately. It is believed that the frontal bones are one of the strongest, but it is still better to show the child to a specialist in order to avoid consequences.

If the doctor does not find any serious abnormalities in the baby (cracks in the skull or concussion), the large lump can be treated at home. However, it is important to ensure that secondary infection does not occur - suppuration does not form. Let's look at what parents should do and how to cope with the problem on their own.

Ointments and other drugs

In order to speed up tissue regeneration processes, damage on the forehead can be lubricated with ointments and gels that have absorbable and anti-inflammatory properties. It’s good if the product has an anesthetic effect, then the pain from the bruise will go away faster. Our table contains the most popular and effective means for external use.

Folk remedies

There are also folk remedies to eliminate cones and hematomas. We have selected several recipes that can be used to treat a child:

• Bay leaf. You need to take 2-3 bay leaves and boil them for 5 minutes. Then apply the cooled leaves to the bruise for a few minutes. If the leaves are warm, the effect may occur faster.
• Potato starch will help get rid of a huge lump. To prepare the product you need to take 2 tbsp. l. starch and dilute it with water to the consistency of thick sour cream. Apply the resulting ointment to the bump and wash it off after a while. Use until completely absorbed.
• Normal laundry soap grate on a fine grater, mix 1 tbsp. l. shavings with egg yolk. Apply the resulting mixture to the bruised area every 2-3 hours. Wash off at the end of the day.
• Apply the inside of a banana peel to the injured area for 5-15 minutes.
• Spread the formation with melted butter. Repeat the procedure every half hour.
• You can apply not ordinary ice to the site of the bruise, but frozen water with the addition of chamomile, string, and sage.

How long does it take for a hematoma to disappear after an impact?

If a child hits his forehead, a lump may appear at the site of the injury, which will resolve within 1-2 hours. However, there are cases when the compaction does not go away for a long time - up to several days or even weeks. Very rarely, complications arise after an injury, and the lump does not go away without the intervention of a surgeon. The doctor may recommend performing a puncture - using a syringe to remove the contents of the tumor. However, first you should try to get rid of the hematoma on your own.

A child has hit his head - when should you see a doctor, and in what cases can you get by with applying a towel with ice? We will talk about this and the alarming symptoms in children after falls below.

Why do babies hit their heads most often?

Mechanical injuries to the skull are one of the most common reasons for frightened parents to visit traumatology departments. This is not at all due to children’s “pin-butt”, but due to the special children’s anatomy.

The fact is that in children under the age of five, the head weighs about a quarter of the weight of the entire body. Accordingly, when falling, it hits first. Since there is no instinct of self-preservation yet and coordination is poorly developed, the baby does not put his hands in front of him in flight, hence the increased likelihood of a concussion and other troubles.

Children are saved from severe head injuries when falling by “fontanelles” that do not heal until they are one year old, and a large amount of cerebrospinal fluid in the skull, which can soften the fall.

Fortunately, most falls result only in fear and bruises for children and frayed nerves for parents. And yet, everyone should know the warning signs when it is necessary to provide first aid to the baby.

How to recognize the risk of impact?

When babies begin to crawl and then walk, they very often stumble, hit, fall (and often from a height greater than their height), resulting in bumps, abrasions, hematomas and bruises on the head. How can one accurately recognize how dangerous this particular blow or bump is to a fidget’s health? Should I show my child to a pediatrician, neurologist, or go straight to the emergency department of traumatology?

Frontal head injury

If, after falling or hitting an obstacle, a huge bump on the baby's forehead swells, this is quite normal. Severe swelling is caused by a large number of blood vessels bursting during mechanical trauma in the soft tissues of the skull. Hematomas on the forehead are most often round in shape, they quickly subside and stop bothering the fidget and his parents, in most cases they do not have serious consequences.

However, all this is true for older children; falling and hitting the baby’s head should not be ignored - take the baby to the pediatrician, even if you think that there is no danger. An experienced doctor will examine the baby and reassure the parents.

Trauma to the back of the head

A blow to the back of the head is a serious reason to go to the emergency room of the pediatric traumatology department or to a pediatrician: often such injuries have quite serious consequences. And the younger the baby, the sooner you need to see a doctor; delay can cost the child his sight, because in the occipital part of the skull there are nerve endings connecting the visual center of the brain and the eyeballs.

In addition to vision problems, the child may have impaired coordination of movements and develop tremors. There is a high probability of neurological developmental abnormalities.

First aid for mechanical injuries of the skull

After a fall, do not hesitate to inspect the injured area and assess the severity of the injury. Then provide first aid and, if necessary, call an ambulance. If the bump or cut on your head is very large and looks scary, take a photo of the wound. mobile phone for a doctor (swelling of the soft tissues on the head can go away very quickly).

If a large lump or hematoma appears on the baby’s head

Calm the baby and apply a cold compress or just a bottle of cold water wrapped in a thin cloth to the injury site. Keep the compress on for five minutes and remove it for two to three minutes (to restore blood circulation). This will ease the pain a little and stop internal bleeding. Then apply the compress again for five minutes. Repeat these steps for about 20-30 minutes - it is during this time that the final formation of the hematoma occurs.

If there is a bleeding abrasion on the forehead or back of the head

Use a sterile cotton swab or a piece of bandage moistened with hydrogen peroxide to treat the abrasion, stop the bleeding by simply pressing a clean, dry bandage onto the wound (press lightly for three to five minutes).

For a child over two years old who can tolerate a slight tingling, the abrasion can be disinfected with rubbing alcohol, vodka, or washed with soap.

If blood continues to flow despite all manipulations, call an ambulance.

If after the fall you find no damage

Behave as usual, calm the baby and caress him. Constantly watch his behavior - any oddities should alert you. The child may begin to be capricious, complain of headaches and nausea, get tired quickly and sleep unusually long - all these are alarm bells indicating a possible concussion or neurological problems.

If your child cries after hitting his head, complains of nausea and migraines, loses consciousness and is uncoordinated, call an ambulance immediately.

How to behave if there is a slight suspicion of a concussion?

If the baby is old enough to explain his condition to his parents (he can tell where he hurts, that he is sick or dizzy), and you cannot see good reasons take him to the doctor, but doubts remain, just watch.

• Immediately after the fall, calm the baby down and put him in bed, keep him busy with quiet games and stories, and read a book. Explain that everything is fine, but now you need to lie still for a while.
• Monitor your baby for several hours for any warning signs. Don't let yourself fall asleep for at least three to four hours: while you sleep, you can miss the worsening condition of a concussion.
• If the child is very young, wake him up at night and monitor his coordination of movements.
• Observe the fidget for three to four days: if no alarming signs were noticed during this period, then the injury passed without complications.

Bad Signs of a Head Injury

Any bruise of the skull requires careful long-term observation by parents at home or doctors in a hospital. To be on the safe side after an injury, if you decide to leave your baby at home, exclude his physical and mental stress: prohibit him from reading, watching TV or playing on the computer. The exception is quiet classical music. If the complications described below occur, take your baby to the pediatrician.

Alarming symptoms after a blow to the frontal part of the skull

After hitting the forehead or falling face down, the baby may experience the following symptoms, indicating dangerous complications:

• a depression (dent) on the forehead instead of the usual bump;
• abnormally large lump;
• vomiting and nausea;
• dizziness, fainting;
• uncontrollable crying, hysterics;
• hard breath;
• paleness of facial skin;
• cyanosis of the nasolabial triangle;
• enlarged pupils, the appearance of strabismus;
• lethargy and lethargy;
• difficulty speaking;
• incoordination, stiffness of movements;
• bleeding from the ear or nose.

If a child exhibits at least one of these symptoms after hitting his head, call an ambulance immediately!

Place your baby on a sofa or bed on his back or side (for babies who are unable to roll over on their side if they vomit) and do not give any medications yourself: this can make it very difficult for doctors to diagnose.

Alarming symptoms after a blow to the back of the head

Occipital mechanical injuries can cause all of the above signs, as well as the following symptoms:

• numbness of the limbs;
• memory loss;
• double image in the eyes;
• loss of consciousness;
• severe headaches and dizziness.

According to statistics, it is the occipital injuries of the skull that most often lead to concussions, so they must be taken seriously.

Kids fall backward when they begin to move independently, with light jolts and loss of balance, while teenagers fall during fights, while roller skating or regular skating. Older children should be required to wear a helmet on their head to prevent injury.

Possible consequences

The head is one of the most important and vulnerable parts of our body, which is why injuries to the skull can have irreversible consequences that cause trouble for a lifetime. After head impacts, the child should be monitored. It is quite possible that he will become whiny, begin to sleep poorly and learn school material worse.

Consequences of injury to the frontal part of the skull

There are several types of injuries after a blow to the forehead:

• Open - soft tissues and bones of the skull are damaged, the injury is accompanied by bleeding and loss of consciousness, painful shock. In these cases, immediate hospitalization is necessary.
• Closed - soft tissue and bone are intact. They come in varying degrees of severity and require different treatment tactics.

1. Brain contusion is a serious condition, usually accompanied by prolonged loss of consciousness, nose or ear bleeding. Bruises appear around the eyes, speech is difficult. One of the facial nerves responsible for facial expressions may be affected.
2. A concussion is a common condition that occurs after severe trauma to the skull. It is characterized by vomiting and constant nausea, dizziness, bluish lips and pale skin on the face. In some cases, these symptoms may not be present, but an unusually poor, restless night's sleep is a reason to consult a doctor. In case of a concussion, a week of bed rest with a minimum of brain activity is prescribed.
3. Hematoma or lump accompanied by soft tissue swelling. The baby does not cry for long; soon after the pain is eliminated, he calms down and forgets about the incident.

Consequences of trauma to the occipital part of the skull

In addition to the above complications, blows to the back of the head can have the following consequences:

• absent-mindedness, inattention;
• incoordination of movements on one side (usually the one where the blow landed);
• memory impairment;
• insomnia;
• the appearance of constant migraines.

How to avoid injuries?

1. Never leave your baby on a sofa, a bed without sides or a changing table - he can instantly fall. It’s better to sit him on the floor or in his crib.
2. If you are sitting on the sofa with a baby, place a couple of large pillows on the floor - this will soften the fall in case of your oversight.
3. Always secure your baby with a seat belt when using a stroller or car seat.
4. When your child begins to learn to walk, a thick carpet will come to your aid - your feet won't slip on it, and falling won't hurt as much.
5. Buy socks with rubber bumps on the soles for your fidget - this will make it easier for him to walk and prevent him from falling.
6. Make your child wear a helmet when rollerblading, skating, biking, or scootering.
7. Make your apartment as safe as possible: buy rubber pads for sharp corners of furniture.

A child fell out of bed and hit his head: possible injuries

When small children fall, hitting their head is inevitable. What matters is not exactly where he hit when he fell (forehead or back of the head), but the severity of the brain damage.

A child’s body differs in many ways from an adult’s; the bones of the skull are not completely fused until they are one year old (they easily move), and the brain tissue is fragile and immature. All of these factors predispose to more severe brain damage.

All traumatic brain injuries are divided into:

• open (damaged bones and soft tissues)

• closed (when the integrity of the skull bones and soft tissues is not compromised)

Closed brain injuries are divided into:

• brain concussion

• brain contusion

• compression of the brain

With a concussion, there are no changes in the structure of the brain matter, with a bruise, foci of destruction of the brain matter appear, and compression appears against the background of the bruise due to rupture of blood vessels or fragments of the skull.

If a child falls and hits his head (the back of the head or forehead), there may be a soft tissue bruise - the mildest injury when the brain does not suffer in any way. Then a lump or abrasion occurs at the site of the impact.

Symptoms indicating a brain injury

Brain concussion manifests itself as a short-term loss of consciousness. In children under one year old, this can be difficult to notice. This condition can be assumed if some time has passed from the moment of the fall to the appearance of crying (1-3 minutes). The child may vomit. Up to 3 months, vomiting may occur repeatedly. There may be pale skin, sweating, as well as drowsiness and refusal to eat. Children under one year of age on the first night after injury.

With a brain injury loss of consciousness may be longer (more than an hour), and signs of respiratory and cardiac problems may appear.

If a child falls out of bed and falls in such a way that skull fracture, his condition may be serious. There may be leakage of cerebrospinal fluid (a light liquid) or blood from the nose or ear. Bruises appear around the eyes (a symptom of glasses). However, symptoms may appear several hours after the injury.

How to assess the severity of an injury if a child falls and hits his head?

If a child falls from a bed (sofa, changing table or other surface), it is necessary to closely monitor his condition. In the case when everything ends with 10-15 minutes of crying, and the child’s condition has not changed, you don’t need to see a doctor.

If the mother has any doubts that the injury is not dangerous, it is better to call a doctor, since it is more reliable to make sure of the child’s health than to treat serious consequences later.

Children under 1.5 years old can have neurosonography. This procedure is painless, inexpensive and performed using an ultrasound machine. It is used to determine increased intracranial pressure and the presence of life-threatening hemorrhages. At a later age, such a study will not be possible if a large fontanel is overgrown.

A child fell out of bed - first aid

If it appears at the site of the impact, you can apply ice in a napkin or something cold. Magnesia has a resolving effect; lotions with this solution should be done 2 times a day.

If there is bleeding, a cloth in the form of a tampon is applied to the wound. If the bleeding does not stop for more than 15 minutes, you must call an ambulance.

If a child falls and hits his forehead or the back of his head, he should not sleep for an hour (this applies to children over one year old), because by the adequacy of his answers and reactions to your questions, you can understand whether the brain has been damaged. You can (and should) wake up and check your coordination at night.

The child must be monitored very closely and cared for for 7 days if the doctor has allowed him to stay at home. The child needs peace and lack of visual stress (this is especially true for children over 1.5-2 years old).

Should I call an ambulance if my child falls and hits his head?

In case of loss of consciousness and severe bleeding from the wound, it is necessary to urgently call an ambulance. Before her arrival, it is better to lay the baby on his side, especially if there is vomiting (in this position he will not choke).

If a child falls from a great height on his head or back, the spine may be damaged. Then the baby’s position should be changed very carefully to avoid spinal cord injury.

An ambulance should be called if any of the alarming symptoms appear:

• deterioration in health

• the child “falls asleep on the go”, experiences dizziness (this applies to older children)

• spasms or twitching of body muscles

• wide pupils do not narrow in bright light or pupils of different sizes

• severe pallor

• blood in urine, stool, or vomit

• paresis or muscle paralysis

For severe brain injuries, appropriate treatment is prescribed only after a thorough examination of the child.

Prevention of head injuries in children due to falls

The situation when a child falls from a bed or changing table occurs most often with children under one year old. Therefore, there is no need to leave the baby alone, especially if he has already learned to roll over. It is better to leave the child on the floor (not naked, of course).

A changing table is a very dangerous thing, as it has a small area. Therefore, the presence of adults alone is not enough; you need to hold the child with your hand. It is better to swaddle your baby on a bed or sofa.

You can lay down something soft or put pillows on the floor, in case the child does fall out of bed.

Children also “love” to fall out of strollers. Therefore, it is better to purchase lower models and strollers with high sides, and do not neglect to fasten the child.

There is not a single baby who has never fallen. They fall when they learn to crawl, walk, when they play. And every time a child falls to the floor and hits the back of his head hard, parents involuntarily wonder if everything is okay with their baby, if he has any injuries after the bruise. What should you do if your child hits his head or the back of his head? After all, the back of the head is the most vulnerable place in children.

Let's imagine such a situation. The child was playing calmly on the bed. Mom looked after him closely. But as soon as she left for a minute, for example, to get water, the little one fell to the floor, hitting the back of her head hard. The parents are in a panic, they don’t know what to do or how to do it, the baby is crying a lot. What should the mother do in this case, how can she find out that the baby, after he fell on the floor, does not have a severe bruise or even a concussion?
Let's try to figure it out step by step, what to do if the baby hits the back of the head or any other part of the head?

Step 1: Assess the situation

Parents need to calm down, not panic and soberly assess the situation. From what height did the baby fall, on what surface? If, for example, the baby fell from the bed onto the floor, onto a soft carpet, then most likely everything is fine with him, and the baby will only get away with fear and a small bruise. If he fell from his high chair, or from a stroller, or fell on a hard tiled floor or on floor tiles, then he stands here
be on your guard.

Step 2: Baby Care

It is necessary to assess the child’s well-being. If he falls to the floor, he may lose consciousness, although not for long. Therefore, if after the baby fell, he did not cry for the first two or three minutes, this may mean that the baby lost consciousness. After a blow to the back of the head, a child needs to be calmed down and placed on the bed. You need to carefully monitor your child and not let him sleep. If you notice any of the symptoms described above in your child, you should definitely call an ambulance or take him to the doctor yourself.

Step 3: Treating the Damage Site

Inspect the site of the injury. If there is a bruise in its place (it does not appear immediately, but after two or three hours), then you must apply a cold compress to avoid severe swelling. If there is an abrasion or wound at the site of the injury, it must be disinfected with a peroxide solution, treated with brilliant green and covered with a band-aid. Healing ointments can be used later. Such as Baneocin, Bodyaga, Astroderm, Boro-plus and others. If blood flows without stopping for more than 15 minutes, then this is a good reason to consult a doctor.