All children are very fond of outdoor games. One thing is bad: laughter and contented cries often turn into tears, because jumping and running often lead to injuries. But bruises, bruises, and scrapes are rarely a concern for parents. Everyone knows how to provide first aid if a child is not seriously injured: it is enough to treat the problem area with an antiseptic or ointment for bruises and monitor the condition of the injured skin area until it heals.
But when a child hits his head during a fall, many parents start to panic. This is due to the fact that children's bones are not as strong as those of adults, and the baby can easily get a concussion or damage the skull.
What to do if a child hits his head? What to pay attention to first of all? How to help? Which doctor to visit? Parents frantically search for answers to these questions, especially if the baby lands very badly.
Are headbutts dangerous for a child?
Little children constantly fall whenlearn to walk, play or indulge. The consequences may be different. For some, everything ends well, for others - serious bruises and abrasions.
Children's body is not built like an adult. It must be that nature itself took care of the safety of the child. Between the brain and the cranial bones of the baby is a large amount of fluid. In the event of a fall, it protects the main organ of the central nervous system from damage. The presence of a non-ossified part of the skull also helps to mitigate the consequences of an unsuccessful landing. The fontanel is able to absorb the impact force.
The risk of serious head injury during a fall is directly related to age. The younger the child, the more fragile his skull bones. This means that the chance of getting a dangerous brain injury is growing.
If the baby fell and hit his head, you should immediately consult a doctor. The specialist will conduct an examination and, if necessary, select a treatment that will help avoid severe consequences of the injury.
Is a blow to the back of the head dangerous for a child?
If a child hits the back of the head during a fall, you should start to worry. Such a landing is fraught with dire consequences:
- open or closed traumatic brain injury;
- concussion;
- brain injury;
- deformation of the skull and subsequent compression of the main organ of the central nervous system.
In rare cases, children experience visual impairment, impaired coordination.
Worth it thoughnotice the following: if a child hits the back of the head, the consequences will not always be dire. The result of a fall can be an ordinary bump or bruise. However, you need to know if any warning signs appear, you should immediately consult a doctor. As the saying goes, it's better to be overdressed than underdressed.
Symptoms of brain injury include:
- appearance of nausea and vomiting;
- loss of consciousness;
- acute headache;
- increased perspiration;
- trembling hands and feet;
- blackout eyes;
- pallor.
If you find one of these symptoms, do not postpone a visit to a specialist so as not to aggravate the child's condition.
What other symptoms of a head injury might be?
If a child hits his head, what should I look for? Observe the behavior and appearance of the victim. Try to keep him awake for 2-3 hours after the fall so that you can notice the onset of warning signs in time, including:
- increased sleepiness;
- feeling sluggish;
- uncharacteristic irritability or tearfulness for a child;
- different pupillary responses to light;
- dizziness;
- balance issues;
- appearance of tinnitus;
- loss of appetite;
- bleeding from the nose or ears;
- sleep disorder;
- deterioration of vision, hearing;
- black eyes;
- dilated pupils without visiblewhy;
- admixture of blood in urine and feces.
Child hit his head: what to do?
The ability to provide the correct first aid is a guarantee that the baby will not have serious complications. If a child has fallen head first, examine the site of the bruise, determine the severity of the injury, and treat the wound, if any.
First aid will depend on the type of injury the baby has suffered. If he has a bump on his head, you need to apply a compress. Take ice, frozen fruits, vegetables or meat from the refrigerator. Wrap in cotton cloth or gauze and apply to the damaged area. The compress should be kept for 3-5 minutes. It will help soothe pain and relieve swelling.
Instead of ice, you can use magnesia. The powder must be dissolved in water, soak a piece of sterile gauze in it and attach to the bump. The procedure should be repeated three times a day. Magnesium sulfate will relieve swelling and reduce pain.
Hematoma can be treated with ointment for bruises and bruises. The drugs "Rescuer", "Troxevasin", "Bruise-OFF" will help to cope with the injury in a short time.
Help with abrasions and bleeding
An open wound formed when the child hit his head? What to look for when providing assistance?
See if there is any bleeding. If the damage is serious, cut off the hair near it so that it does not interfere with the processing and does not provoke the onset of the inflammatory process.
Clean the wound with a cotton swab,soaked in hydrogen peroxide or chlorhexidine. If blood is coming from the damaged area, apply a compress with an antiseptic for 10 minutes.
After this time, lubricate the skin around the wound with iodine or brilliant green. Make sure that the product does not get on the injured area. Burning tissue will only slow down the healing process.
If the bleeding doesn't stop within 10 minutes, call an ambulance.
First aid for no visible damage
If a child hit his head, but during the examination you did not find external damage, do not rush to rejoice. Symptoms of a traumatic brain injury may take several hours to appear.
Restrict your child's physical and mental activity. On the day of the fall, do not allow him to sit at the computer, read too much or watch TV. Let the baby lie and rest as much as possible.
How to help if a child hits his head? What to look for if there is no external damage? Observe the behavior and condition of the baby. Monitor the quality of his sleep and appetite. Find out how he feels.
If you suspect a traumatic brain injury, see a doctor immediately.
The child hit his head. The consequences of a blow: what could they be?
Even a slight headbutt can backfire:
- disruption of the main organ of the central nervous system due to injury;
- increaseblood pressure due to improper regulation of vascular tone;
- circulatory disorders;
- cystic formations;
- increased intracranial pressure;
- squeezing of the brain followed by atrophy.
The severity of the consequences depends on how serious the injury was. Timely treatment plays a big role. If the therapeutic course was started when the traumatic brain injury was in a neglected state, the recovery period will be long and the consequences severe.
Doctor Visit
Head injuries after a fall are de alt with by a pediatric traumatologist or surgeon. The specialist will begin the examination with general questions about the child's well-being. Find out what symptoms of a traumatic brain injury have appeared. If your suspicions are confirmed, the child will be hospitalized.
The hospital will conduct a comprehensive examination that will accurately determine whether the baby has internal injuries and find out how serious the child's condition is.
Depending on the recommendations of the attending physician, the following methods are used to examine children:
- Neurosonography. Used for children 1-1.5 years old. Allows using ultrasound through the fontanel to explore the structure of the brain. Examination with this device has no negative consequences.
- Lumbar puncture. For analysis, cerebrospinal fluid is taken if intracranial hemorrhage is suspected.
- Magnetic resonance imaging of the head (MRI). The most informative and safe way to survey. Shows if there have beenchanges in brain tissue.
- Computed tomography. X-ray examination. You can go through this procedure no more than twice a year. Creates an x-ray image of a section of the brain, allowing you to accurately assess the condition of the organ.
In early childhood, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging of the head (MRI) are done under general anesthesia. This is due to the fact that during the examination it is necessary to be in a stationary position for a long time. It is very difficult for a child not to move for a long period.
If a child hits his head, do not immediately panic. Try to provide first aid. Monitor the condition of the baby. If you notice any worrying symptoms, contact your doctor immediately. Timely treatment will help to bring the child's he alth in order in a short time and relieve the negative consequences of the injury.
