HEAD INJURY

Injury Definition

Types of Head Injuries


WHEN TO CALL YOUR DOCTOR

Call 911 now (your child may need an ambulance) if:

Call your doctor now (night or day) if:

Call your doctor within 24 hours (between 9am and 4pm) if:

Call your doctor during weekday office hours if:

Parent care at home if:


HOME CARE ADVICE

  1. Wound Care:  If there is a scrape or cut, wash it off with soap and water. Then apply pressure with a sterile gauze for 10 minutes to stop any bleeding.
  2. Local Cold:  Apply a cold pack or ice bag wrapped in a wet cloth to any swelling for 20 minutes. (Big lumps are common)
  3. Observation:  Observe your child closely during the first 2 hours following the injury.
    • Encourage your child to lie down and rest until all symptoms have cleared. (Note: mild headache, mild dizziness and nausea are common)
    • Allow your child to sleep if he wants to, but keep him nearby.
    • Awaken after 2 hours of sleeping to check the ability to walk and talk.
  4. Diet:  Offer only clear fluids to drink, in case he vomits.  Regular diet OK after 2 hours.
  5. Avoid Pain Medicines:  If the headache is that bad, he needs to be examined.
  6. Special Precautions at Night:
    • Awaken your child at your bedtime and again 4 hours later for 2 nights. Check the ability to walk and talk.
    • Sleep in same room as your child for 2 nights.
    • After 48 hours, return to a normal routine.
  7. Expected Course:  Most head impact only causes a scalp injury.  The swelling may take a week to resolve.  The local headache at the site of impact usually clears in 2 to 3 days.
  8. Call Your Doctor If:
    • Pain becomes severe
    • Your child becomes worse

And remember, contact your doctor if your child becomes worse or develops any of the "Call Your Doctor" symptoms.


REFERENCES

  1. Aitken ME, Herrerias CT, Davis R, Bell HS, Coombs JB, Kleinman LC, Homer CJ Minor head injury in children. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1998;152:1176-1180.
  2. American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Quality Improvement, Commission on Clinical Policies and Research. The management of closed head injury in children. Pediatrics.1999;104:1407-1415.
  3. Coombs JB and Davis RL. A synopsis of the American Academy of Pediatrics' Practice Parameter on the management of minor closed head injury in children. Pediatr Rev. 2000;21:413-415.
  4. Dunning J, Daly P, Lomas J, et.al. Derivation of the children’s head injury algorithm for the prediction of important clinical events decision rule for head injury in children. Arch Dis Child. 2006;21:885-891.
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  8. Greenes DS. Decisionmaking in pediatric minor head trauma. Ann Emerg Med. 2003;42:515-518.
  9. Gruskin KD, Schutzman SA. Head trauma in children younger than 2 years. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1999;153:15-20.
  10. Haydel MJ, Shembekar AD. Prediction of intracranial injury in children aged five years and older with loss of consciousness after minor head injury due to nontrivial mechanisms. Ann Emerg Med. 2003;42(4):507-510.
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  13. Palchak MJ, Holmes JF, Vance CW, et al. A decision rule for identifying children at low risk for brain injuries after blunt head trauma. Ann Emerg Med. 2003;42:492-506.
  14. Palchak MJ, Holmes JF, Vance CW, et al. Does an isolated history of loss of consciousness or amnesia predict brain injuries in children after blunt head trauma? Pediatrics. 2004;113:e507-e513.
  15. Patel D. Managing concussion in a young athlete. Contemp Pediatr. 2006;23(11):62-69.
  16. Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology. The management of concussion in sports (practice parameters). Neurology. 1997; 48:581-585.
  17. Quayle KS. Minor head injury in the pediatric patient. Pediatr Clin North Am. 1999;46(6):1189-1199.
  18. Schutzman SA, Barnes P, Duhaime A et al. Evaluation and management of children younger than two years old with apparently minor head trauma: Proposed guidelines. Pediatrics. 2001;107:983-993.
  19. Thiessen ML, Woolridge D. Pediatric minor closed head injury. Pediatr Clin North Am. 2006;53(1):1-26.

Disclaimer: This information is not intended be a substitute for professional medical advice. It is provided for educational purposes only. You assume full responsibility for how you choose to use this information.

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