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Head Injuries in Children

Head injuries in children are relatively common; each year, more than 1 million children have either a minor or severe head injury. Falls are the most common cause of head injuries, and 75 percent of children's deaths after falling off playground equipment occur from head injuries sustained in the fall. Minor head injuries usually require little treatment, but parents should take caution to make sure the head injury does not worsen in the days following the incident.

  1. Causes

    • According to the Physicians' Desktop Reference, head injuries in children are most often caused by a blow to the head from a fall, car or bicycle crash, sports injury and child abuse. The severity of the head injury depends on the trauma itself; a fall from a great height has a higher risk of brain injury than a short fall or being hit by a soft object like a ball.

    Symptoms

    • Symptoms of head injuries in children can occur immediately or take days or even weeks to show up. They can include mild symptoms such as headache, dizziness, loss of balance and nausea. More severe symptoms are scalp swelling, loss of consciousness, vomiting, seizures and concussion. Children with head injuries may also experience short-term memory loss and mood changes.

    Risks

    • Parents of children with head injuries should monitor their child closely following the injury. Children may be at a higher risk for complications following a head injury if they've had a prior head injury or concussion. Other risk factors for more serious head injury are bleeding disorders, other brain problems, difficulty walking, being less than one year old and being active in contact sports.

    Warning

    • For minor head injuries, parents don't usually have to wake the child from sleeping. Children with head injuries or who have had a concussion are at a higher risk for complications if they have a second head injury shortly after the first. If the child's symptoms worsen in the days following the injury, parents should call their doctor or consider taking them to the emergency room if their child exhibits confusion, blurry vision, increased vomiting and slurred speech.

    Prevention/Solution

    • To prevent head injuries in children, always make sure your child wears a helmet or other appropriate safety gear. Use gates on stairways and doors to keep infants and children safe. Often, just keeping a close eye on your children can help prevent head injuries. For a minor head injury, let your child sleep and consider using an ice pack for soreness and swelling.

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