Baby bump on head after fall
What to Look For and When to Seek Help
You see baby teeter, then totter, and then — in a “Matrix”-like moment that somehow occurs both in slow motion and in the blink of an eye — they tumble. Oh, the screams. The tears. And a big goose egg that’s growing by the second.
We know how scary it can be when your precious baby bumps their head. And if you’re living this right now — icing your little one’s knot while searching for what to do next — you’re in the right place.
First, take a deep breath and try to remain calm. Most of the time, fall-related bumps to the head are minor and don’t require medical attention.
In fact, this 2015 study concluded that fall-related head injuries in young children don’t usually cause serious harm.
At the same time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that falls are the leading cause of traumatic brain injury-related emergency department visits up in children up to age 4. Keep in mind that this is rare.
So in the rarer case, there are a few cues that should alert you to seek emergency medical help.
First, some reassuring stats: According to one study on short falls in young children, only about 2 to 3 percent of falls lead to a simple linear skull fracture, and most of these don’t cause neurological problems. Only about 1 percent of skull fractures related to accidental falls cause moderate to severe brain injury.
That said, it’s still important to be aware of the symptoms of a traumatic brain injury, including concussions, which usually present within 24 to 48 hours of the accident.
If your baby is showing any of these symptoms after experiencing an injury to their head, call 911 or take them to the nearest emergency room immediately:
- uncontrolled bleeding from a cut
- a dent or bulging soft spot on the skull
- excessive bruising and/or swelling
- vomiting more than once
- unusual sleepiness and/or difficulty staying alert
- loss of consciousness or not responding to voice/touch
- blood or fluid draining from the nose or ears
- a seizure
- a suspected neck/spinal cord injury
- trouble breathing
Accidental bumps to the head are one of the most common injuries among infants and toddlers.
But this fact alone might not stop you from continuously replaying the scene in your head while thinking about how you would rewrite the ending.
But a fall-related knock to the noggin is often largely due to a baby’s physical stature and development — not your parenting. Babies’ heads are often proportionally larger than their bodies, making it easier for them to lose their balance.
In addition, babies’ physical strength and abilities are constantly changing, which affects their stability and coordination. The same adorable wobbly walk could put them in harm’s way when encountering a new, uneven surface or a fun object to run toward.
This, coupled with a baby’s tendency to engage in more daredevil acts that have them climbing, jumping, or trying to fly just for the thrill, can be the perfect equation for a nasty plunge. In fact, babies are notorious for these common head injury culprits:
- slipping in the tub
- falling backwards
- falling off a bed or changing table
- falling after climbing on furniture or up on countertops
- falling in or out of the crib
- tripping over rugs or objects on the floor
- falling down steps or stairs
- falling while using an infant walker (one of the reasons why such walkers are considered unsafe)
- falling from playground swing sets
The height from which a baby falls is correlated to the severity of injury, so if your child fell from a higher distance (such as from a crib or countertop) they’re at a greater risk of serious injury.
The term “head injury” encompasses the entire range of injuries, from a small forehead lump to a traumatic brain injury. Most short fall-related injuries among babies fall under the “mild” category.
Mild head injuries
Mild head injuries are considered closed, meaning they don’t involve any skull fractures or underlying brain injury. In these cases, swelling and a large “bump” or bruise on the skin may appear without any further symptoms.
If your baby’s fall resulted in a cut or laceration, there may be significant bleeding that requires medical attention to clean and suture the wound, even if there’s no brain or skull injury.
After a bump to the head, babies can experience a headache and discomfort. However, at this age, it’s difficult for them to communicate this feeling. It might surface as increased fussiness or difficulty sleeping.
Moderate to severe head injuries
Moderate to severe brain injuries represent the minority of those related to infant falls.
They can involve:
- skull fractures
- contusions (when the brain is bruised)
- concussions (when the brain is shaken)
- bleeding in the brain or around the layers surrounding the brain
Concussions are the most common and least severe type of traumatic brain injury. A concussion can affect multiple brain regions, causing problems in brain function. Signs of a concussion in children can include:
- headaches
- loss of consciousness
- changes in alertness
- nausea and vomiting
While super rare, more severe injuries can involve a fracture of the skull, which can put pressure on the brain and also cause swelling, bruising, or bleeding around or inside of the brain. These are the most serious circumstances that require emergency medical attention.
It’s critical that medical treatment is administered as soon as possible to reduce the potential for long-term brain damage and loss of physical and cognitive function.
In most cases, “watch and wait” (with lots of extra TLC) is the most appropriate course of action after a baby’s minor head bump.
Keep the symptoms of a more serious head injury in mind, watching for any changes in behavior or neurological deficits within 48 hours of the accident.
Other ways to care for your injured little one during the watch and wait period:
- apply ice as tolerated by your baby
- clean and bandage any minor cuts or abrasions to the skin
- check for changes/consistency in the size of your baby’s pupils
- monitor your baby while they’re sleeping during naps and at night
- call your baby’s pediatrician for guidance if you’re concerned
When to call your child’s pediatrician
You know your baby best, so if you’re even remotely worried, don’t hesitate to call your child’s pediatrician for expert advice on what to do next. They might want to evaluate your baby out of precaution and to document the injury for their medical record.
To evaluate for a head injury, the pediatrician or emergency room doctor will likely ask you about how the injury occurred, what your baby was doing before the injury, and what symptoms your baby experienced after the injury.
They might also do a series of neurological exams — looking at your baby’s eyes and responses to voice and touch — and a general physical exam, too.
If something in this exam triggers concern of a serious brain injury, the doctor may order an imaging test such as a CT scan. CT scans are usually only performed when there’s evidence of a severe brain injury.
Although rare, the doctor may advise you to go to the nearest emergency room for more immediate evaluation, diagnosis, or critical care. Or, they may want to observe your baby for a few hours during a medically supervised “watch and wait” period.
Treatment for head injuries depend on the severity. In mild cases, ice, rest, and extra cuddles are the best medicine. (Not a bad treatment for adult head bumps, either.
)
After a concussion, frequent monitoring might be advised by your baby’s pediatrician, as well as activity restrictions.
For more serious injuries, it’s important to follow a doctor’s direction. Usually, only severe traumatic head injuries require critical hospital-based intervention that can include medical and surgical treatments as well as physical therapy.
Most minor bumps to the head in young children don’t pose any risk of long-term complications, thank goodness.
But there is a body of research that does bring to light long-term concerns with even minor traumatic brain injuries. A 2016 study that followed a Swedish cohort concluded a possible correlation between a traumatic brain injury (including mild concussions) in childhood with an increased risk for mental health problems, disability, and even mortality into adulthood. As you may expect, children with multiple head injuries had even greater long-term risks.
The American Academy of Pediatrics echoes this with research presented at its 2018 national conference.
In the study of children diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury from mild to severe, 39 percent developed neuropsychiatric symptoms up to 5 years after the injury, such as headache, mental disorder, intellectual disability, depression/anxiety, seizure, or brain damage.
This message is empowering to help prevent more serious accidental falls that could affect your little one’s health, growth, and development.
While a minor head bump is bound to happen from time to time, here are a few tips to help keep your baby out of harm’s way.
- Install and secure baby gates on the top and bottom of stairs.
- Watch for wet areas on hard floors (especially around pool and bath surfaces).
- Install non-skid mats in the bathtub and rugs on the bathroom floor.
- Firmly secure furniture to walls.
- Keep young children away from dangerous things to climb.
- Don’t sit or leave your baby up on countertops.
- Avoid using infant walkers with wheels.
- Remove tripping hazards.
- Be cautious at playgrounds that don’t have softer surfaces.
There’s no doubt about it — when your baby takes a tumble, their tears can equal fears and tears of your own. It’s normal to worry, but rest assured that most minor bumps to the head don’t cause a serious brain injury or require emergency medical attention.
However, there are rare instances where a more serious traumatic brain injury can result. In this case, know the symptoms to watch for and always call your child’s pediatrician or seek emergency medical care if you feel it’s necessary.
Read this article in Spanish.
What to Look For and When to Seek Help
You see baby teeter, then totter, and then — in a “Matrix”-like moment that somehow occurs both in slow motion and in the blink of an eye — they tumble. Oh, the screams. The tears. And a big goose egg that’s growing by the second.
We know how scary it can be when your precious baby bumps their head. And if you’re living this right now — icing your little one’s knot while searching for what to do next — you’re in the right place.
First, take a deep breath and try to remain calm. Most of the time, fall-related bumps to the head are minor and don’t require medical attention.
In fact, this 2015 study concluded that fall-related head injuries in young children don’t usually cause serious harm.
At the same time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that falls are the leading cause of traumatic brain injury-related emergency department visits up in children up to age 4. Keep in mind that this is rare.
So in the rarer case, there are a few cues that should alert you to seek emergency medical help.
First, some reassuring stats: According to one study on short falls in young children, only about 2 to 3 percent of falls lead to a simple linear skull fracture, and most of these don’t cause neurological problems. Only about 1 percent of skull fractures related to accidental falls cause moderate to severe brain injury.
That said, it’s still important to be aware of the symptoms of a traumatic brain injury, including concussions, which usually present within 24 to 48 hours of the accident.
If your baby is showing any of these symptoms after experiencing an injury to their head, call 911 or take them to the nearest emergency room immediately:
- uncontrolled bleeding from a cut
- a dent or bulging soft spot on the skull
- excessive bruising and/or swelling
- vomiting more than once
- unusual sleepiness and/or difficulty staying alert
- loss of consciousness or not responding to voice/touch
- blood or fluid draining from the nose or ears
- a seizure
- a suspected neck/spinal cord injury
- trouble breathing
Accidental bumps to the head are one of the most common injuries among infants and toddlers. But this fact alone might not stop you from continuously replaying the scene in your head while thinking about how you would rewrite the ending.
But a fall-related knock to the noggin is often largely due to a baby’s physical stature and development — not your parenting. Babies’ heads are often proportionally larger than their bodies, making it easier for them to lose their balance.
In addition, babies’ physical strength and abilities are constantly changing, which affects their stability and coordination. The same adorable wobbly walk could put them in harm’s way when encountering a new, uneven surface or a fun object to run toward.
This, coupled with a baby’s tendency to engage in more daredevil acts that have them climbing, jumping, or trying to fly just for the thrill, can be the perfect equation for a nasty plunge. In fact, babies are notorious for these common head injury culprits:
- slipping in the tub
- falling backwards
- falling off a bed or changing table
- falling after climbing on furniture or up on countertops
- falling in or out of the crib
- tripping over rugs or objects on the floor
- falling down steps or stairs
- falling while using an infant walker (one of the reasons why such walkers are considered unsafe)
- falling from playground swing sets
The height from which a baby falls is correlated to the severity of injury, so if your child fell from a higher distance (such as from a crib or countertop) they’re at a greater risk of serious injury.
The term “head injury” encompasses the entire range of injuries, from a small forehead lump to a traumatic brain injury. Most short fall-related injuries among babies fall under the “mild” category.
Mild head injuries
Mild head injuries are considered closed, meaning they don’t involve any skull fractures or underlying brain injury. In these cases, swelling and a large “bump” or bruise on the skin may appear without any further symptoms.
If your baby’s fall resulted in a cut or laceration, there may be significant bleeding that requires medical attention to clean and suture the wound, even if there’s no brain or skull injury.
After a bump to the head, babies can experience a headache and discomfort. However, at this age, it’s difficult for them to communicate this feeling. It might surface as increased fussiness or difficulty sleeping.
Moderate to severe head injuries
Moderate to severe brain injuries represent the minority of those related to infant falls.
They can involve:
- skull fractures
- contusions (when the brain is bruised)
- concussions (when the brain is shaken)
- bleeding in the brain or around the layers surrounding the brain
Concussions are the most common and least severe type of traumatic brain injury. A concussion can affect multiple brain regions, causing problems in brain function. Signs of a concussion in children can include:
- headaches
- loss of consciousness
- changes in alertness
- nausea and vomiting
While super rare, more severe injuries can involve a fracture of the skull, which can put pressure on the brain and also cause swelling, bruising, or bleeding around or inside of the brain. These are the most serious circumstances that require emergency medical attention.
It’s critical that medical treatment is administered as soon as possible to reduce the potential for long-term brain damage and loss of physical and cognitive function.
In most cases, “watch and wait” (with lots of extra TLC) is the most appropriate course of action after a baby’s minor head bump.
Keep the symptoms of a more serious head injury in mind, watching for any changes in behavior or neurological deficits within 48 hours of the accident.
Other ways to care for your injured little one during the watch and wait period:
- apply ice as tolerated by your baby
- clean and bandage any minor cuts or abrasions to the skin
- check for changes/consistency in the size of your baby’s pupils
- monitor your baby while they’re sleeping during naps and at night
- call your baby’s pediatrician for guidance if you’re concerned
When to call your child’s pediatrician
You know your baby best, so if you’re even remotely worried, don’t hesitate to call your child’s pediatrician for expert advice on what to do next. They might want to evaluate your baby out of precaution and to document the injury for their medical record.
To evaluate for a head injury, the pediatrician or emergency room doctor will likely ask you about how the injury occurred, what your baby was doing before the injury, and what symptoms your baby experienced after the injury.
They might also do a series of neurological exams — looking at your baby’s eyes and responses to voice and touch — and a general physical exam, too.
If something in this exam triggers concern of a serious brain injury, the doctor may order an imaging test such as a CT scan. CT scans are usually only performed when there’s evidence of a severe brain injury.
Although rare, the doctor may advise you to go to the nearest emergency room for more immediate evaluation, diagnosis, or critical care. Or, they may want to observe your baby for a few hours during a medically supervised “watch and wait” period.
Treatment for head injuries depend on the severity. In mild cases, ice, rest, and extra cuddles are the best medicine. (Not a bad treatment for adult head bumps, either.
)
After a concussion, frequent monitoring might be advised by your baby’s pediatrician, as well as activity restrictions.
For more serious injuries, it’s important to follow a doctor’s direction. Usually, only severe traumatic head injuries require critical hospital-based intervention that can include medical and surgical treatments as well as physical therapy.
Most minor bumps to the head in young children don’t pose any risk of long-term complications, thank goodness.
But there is a body of research that does bring to light long-term concerns with even minor traumatic brain injuries. A 2016 study that followed a Swedish cohort concluded a possible correlation between a traumatic brain injury (including mild concussions) in childhood with an increased risk for mental health problems, disability, and even mortality into adulthood. As you may expect, children with multiple head injuries had even greater long-term risks.
The American Academy of Pediatrics echoes this with research presented at its 2018 national conference.
In the study of children diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury from mild to severe, 39 percent developed neuropsychiatric symptoms up to 5 years after the injury, such as headache, mental disorder, intellectual disability, depression/anxiety, seizure, or brain damage.
This message is empowering to help prevent more serious accidental falls that could affect your little one’s health, growth, and development.
While a minor head bump is bound to happen from time to time, here are a few tips to help keep your baby out of harm’s way.
- Install and secure baby gates on the top and bottom of stairs.
- Watch for wet areas on hard floors (especially around pool and bath surfaces).
- Install non-skid mats in the bathtub and rugs on the bathroom floor.
- Firmly secure furniture to walls.
- Keep young children away from dangerous things to climb.
- Don’t sit or leave your baby up on countertops.
- Avoid using infant walkers with wheels.
- Remove tripping hazards.
- Be cautious at playgrounds that don’t have softer surfaces.
There’s no doubt about it — when your baby takes a tumble, their tears can equal fears and tears of your own. It’s normal to worry, but rest assured that most minor bumps to the head don’t cause a serious brain injury or require emergency medical attention.
However, there are rare instances where a more serious traumatic brain injury can result. In this case, know the symptoms to watch for and always call your child’s pediatrician or seek emergency medical care if you feel it’s necessary.
Read this article in Spanish.
A bump on the head from a blow: symptoms, consequences, first aid
If a bump formed on the head from a blow, this indicates that the bruise was quite serious. After all, tissue swelling is a sign of damage to blood vessels. It often happens that the pain from a bruise has long passed, but the bump does not subside. Such edema hurts when pressed and causes physical and moral discomfort to a person.
How to get rid of bumps on your head yourself? And in what cases should you immediately go to the doctor? We will consider these questions in the article.
Why a bump appears
A bump on the head from a blow appears due to damage to small vessels. At its core, it is a kind of hematoma. On impact, the capillaries break and blood flows out of them. When bruising other parts of the body, a bruise appears on the skin, but there is usually no swelling. This is due to the fact that subcutaneous tissue absorbs blood on the body and on the limbs. Therefore, swelling does not form.
There is no fiber on the head. Blood pours out under the skin. In this case, the liquid is not absorbed, but only accumulates. For this reason, a bruise of the head leads to the appearance of a bump. Which does not exclude the simultaneous formation of a bruise, if the blow was strong enough.
Causes
Hematoma on the head does not occur with every bruise. In order for a bump to appear, a sufficiently rough mechanical effect on the skin is necessary.
Typically, swelling occurs as a result of the following injuries:
- Bumps on the head of a child from a blow are most often formed due to falls. Small children often fall out of strollers. Such injuries also occur when a child is learning to walk.
- Adults are more likely to get bumps when hitting hard surfaces. This happens with awkward movements or when an object falls on top of a person.
Symptoms
How to distinguish a hematoma from other types of edema and tumors? Bumps on the head from a blow have the following features:
- A hematoma always forms exclusively in the place that was subjected to mechanical stress. For example, if a person is hurt on the top of the head, a bump cannot occur in the frontal region.
- The size of the formation may vary. It depends on how severe the injury was.
- Bud color may vary. Sometimes it does not differ from the rest of the skin color, but it can also be bluish due to hemorrhage.
But in the head area there are no bruises of such a bright color as on other parts of the body. - The skin around the bump looks swollen.
- The bump feels painful when pressed.
On average, swelling can last from 2 to 7 days. With enhanced treatment and properly provided first aid, the bump passes quickly enough.
Peculiarities of a bruise in babies
A bump on the head after a blow in a child is a very common occurrence. After all, children love a mobile and active lifestyle. In babies, the scalp is delicate, so a hematoma can form even with a slight blow.
However, head injuries in children are often accompanied by concussion and other unpleasant consequences. Therefore, you need to pay attention to the well-being of the baby. Many babies cry profusely when they get hurt, but more often than not, it's from fear, not pain. You need to let the baby calm down, and then look at his condition. At the slightest doubt, you should contact a pediatric traumatologist.
The size of the hematoma does not always indicate the risk of injury. For example, with forehead bruises, huge bumps always form. However, the frontal bone is the strongest, and protects the brain well, so unpleasant consequences for bruises in this area are rare.
Cold
Suppose a child or adult has a bump on his head from a blow. What to do first? A few minutes after the bruise, blood still continues to flow from the bursting vessels, and the bump grows. If the blow was very strong, then the swelling increases right before our eyes.
First of all, subcutaneous hemorrhage must be stopped. To do this, apply cold to the damaged area. Its effect will help narrow the blood vessels and reduce the hematoma, as well as reduce pain. The following tools are suitable for this purpose:
- Ice If the injury occurred at home, you can take ice from the refrigerator, put it in a bag and wrap it in a towel. Apply an ice compress to the site of injury.
This procedure must be repeated several times during the day. Instead of ice, you can use food from the freezer or a bottle of cold water. - Cold water compress. Moisten a cloth with cold water and apply to the bump. As soon as the compress warms up, it must be replaced. This procedure is repeated several times.
- If there is nothing cold on hand, ordinary vegetable oil can help. It should be applied to cotton wool or a bandage and applied to the site of injury for half an hour. With the help of such a folk remedy, the appearance of a bump can be completely avoided if the blow was not too strong.
Cold must be applied during the first day after injury.
Exposure to heat
Cold is the first remedy for bumps on the head from a blow. How to treat a hematoma further? Many people limit themselves to cold compresses on the first day. However, this is not enough. On the second day, the sore spot should be warmed up. Under the influence of heat, the swelling subsides, and the bump begins to dissolve.
You can apply a warm boiled egg to the bruise. Salt, heated in a pan and wrapped in a rag, is also suitable. Do not use too hot compresses, so as not to burn the already injured skin.
In the following days, the bump is treated with pharmacy ointments or folk remedies.
Ointments
How to anoint a bump on the head from a blow after first aid? In pharmacies, you can buy various local remedies for bruises. Consider some of them:
- Troxerutin. This is a preparation in the form of a gel that promotes the resolution of edema after a bruise. The product is well absorbed into the skin, but it is not recommended to apply it to damaged epithelium. The treated sore spot must be protected from exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
- Troxevasin. Gel strengthens the walls of damaged vessels and promotes their healing. It reduces swelling and relieves pain. The bump should be treated with gel in the morning and evening.
- "Rescuer".
This gel stops the inflammatory reaction and heals the injured area of the skin. In addition, it has disinfectant properties. - "Heparin ointment". The agent is designed to combat thrombosis. However, it is also effective for bumps on the head from a blow. The ointment acts as an anticoagulant and promotes the resorption of hematomas.
- Lyoton 1000. This gel also has anticoagulant properties and dissolves the blood mass under the skin after a bruise.
- Mirralgin. The product is a plant-based balm. It improves blood circulation in damaged tissues, relieves pain and swelling. This harmless herbal remedy is especially indicated for young children.
These preparations must be used until the lump disappears completely. Treatment may take a different time, depending on the degree of injury.
Folk remedies
Bumps on the head from a blow can be cured with the help of folk remedies. Everyone knows the wound healing properties of aloe and Kalanchoe juice.
From these plants, you can make a compress that will help reduce tissue swelling. You need to take a leaf of a plant, remove the top layer from it, put it on a sore spot, and then cover it with a film and cotton wool. The compress is kept for about 2-3 hours.
Ordinary cabbage leaves can be used. They need to be crushed and boiled in milk. Then put the mass on a napkin or cloth and apply to the site of injury. The compress is kept for about 1 hour. This remedy helps relieve swelling.
Bumps on the head from a blow in adults can be treated with a mixture of iodine and alcohol (proportions 1:1). This remedy is especially useful in bluish and pinkish edemas, accompanied by severe subcutaneous hemorrhage.
Possible consequences
It should be remembered that a bump on the head from a blow is not always a harmless phenomenon. Indeed, in the cranium is the brain, many vessels and nerve nodes. Damage to these anatomical structures can lead to serious consequences:
- brain concussion;
- skull fracture;
- rupture of cerebral vessels.
It is important to remember that serious head injuries often lead to severe disruption of the central nervous system. With such pathologies, long-term treatment is often required. Therefore, everyone should know in which cases a bump can be dangerous.
When to see a doctor
Seek medical attention if a bump on the head after a blow does not go away within a week. If the edema does not disappear for a long time, then this may indicate trauma to the bone tissue.
Seek immediate medical attention if a child or adult has the following symptoms:
- pain in the head and neck;
- dizziness;
- nausea and vomiting;
- blurred vision;
- strabismus;
- discharge of blood or clear liquid from the nose or ears;
- increase in pain syndrome;
- disorders of speech and consciousness;
- pain aggravated by turning the head;
- seizures;
- bleeding from a wound that does not stop for more than 10 - 15 minutes.
These warning signs may indicate a severe head injury. It is necessary to put the patient to bed, call an ambulance and control his consciousness and breathing until the doctors arrive.
Is a bump always associated with a bruise
A soft bump after a blow to the head is not dangerous if there are no signs of trauma to the brain or skull bones. It is important to remember that a bruised hematoma never has a solid structure. If the bump looks like a lump, then it is most likely not related to a bump.
Very often people associate tumors on the head with the fact that they accidentally hurt themselves. However, such cones may have a completely different origin.
The following formations may occur in the forehead and scalp area:
- Atheromas (wen). They look like balls filled with sebaceous contents. Festering wen can be painful.
- Hemangioma. This swelling of the blood vessels is very similar to a bump after a bruise.
However, such a neoplasm has a more intense color than a regular hematoma. - Fibroma. The tumor consists of connective tissue and is benign. With trauma, malignant degeneration is possible.
- Lymphadenitis. In children with inflammation, infections often increase lymph nodes. They look like reddened painful bumps. They are usually located on the back of the head or behind the ears.
The appearance of a lump on the head should not be associated solely with a blow. Many of the above neoplasms require surgical removal. Therefore, if you are not sure that the bump is caused by a bruise, then you need to contact a specialist. Only a doctor can determine the exact cause of the tumor.
Head injury - NCCH
The main task of adults with a head injury in a child is not to panic, thereby frightening the child and others even more, but competently provide first aid and promptly consult a doctor or call an ambulance. This will not only alleviate the condition of the child, but also accelerate his subsequent recovery.
If the child hit his head and damaged the skin, that is, there is an open wound, bleeding, put a clean, ideally sterile bandage on it, press the bleeding vessel with your hand through the bandage. The scalp and face have an abundant blood supply, so often even a small wound leads to severe bleeding. Pressing the wound with your hand, cooling with improvised means (bottles or ice packs) will help stop the bleeding faster. The ice pack should be wrapped in a piece of cloth or a towel, as direct contact of extreme cold with the skin can cause frostbite. Cold is also recommended if the skin is not damaged, but there is a bruise of the soft tissues, a hematoma (that is, a lump or a bruise). In this case, the cold will not only help relieve pain, but also reduce swelling.
After administering first aid, consult a doctor, emergency room. They will not only help to properly treat the wound and avoid its further infection, but also conduct the necessary examinations to determine how deep the damage is, whether the skull bones are affected, and whether further medical supervision of the child in the hospital is necessary.
However, even if a blow to the head does not result in skin damage, there is still a risk of a concussion or even more serious life-threatening injury. Its symptoms are not always obvious, especially in the first minutes after the injury. But this is where the main danger of head injuries lies. Particular attention should be paid to those head injuries that were accompanied by loss of consciousness, amnesia (“gaps” in memory), subsequent vomiting, dizziness, slurred speech, double vision, bleeding from the nose, ears, the appearance of asymmetry of the face or pupils. Increased drowsiness, lethargy or, on the contrary, irritability, headache are signs of brain suffering. All these symptoms require mandatory and prompt medical attention. Do not try to solve the problem yourself by giving your child painkillers and hoping that everything will go away on its own. This can result in the loss of valuable time. Remember that even with external well-being immediately after the injury, the symptoms of concussion and brain damage can appear within a day, which is why the doctor may suggest that you hospitalize even an apparently healthy child for observation in the department for 1-2 days.
