Head injuries can be serious and should never be ignored, even if the child isn’t complaining of specific symptoms. This article discusses what head injuries are, the different types, and the symptoms you should look out for. We will also discuss what you can do to prevent head injuries and reduce the severity.
At SportsSafe: Pediatric Concussion Clinic in Austin, Texas, our medical team evaluates kids who have sustained head injuries. If your child has a possible head injury, you should contact our office to schedule an appointment as soon as possible.
Any injury to the scalp, skull, or brain could be classified as a head injury. A mild head injury could be a bump on the head, whereas a serious head injury could be a concussion or a skull fracture. Serious head injuries need immediate medical care.
There are several different types of head injuries. Head injuries can be open or closed. An open injury is when the skull fractures or breaks in some way. A closed head injury does not have a break in your skull.
The different types of head injuries include the following:
Head injuries in kids and teens can happen from:
Symptoms of an injury depend on the extent of the head trauma. Your child may have the following symptoms:
A doctor will diagnose your child’s head injury by examining their head and asking how the injury took place. Most mild head injuries can be diagnosed without the use of medical tests. However, if there are signs of a serious injury, the doctor may request a CAT scan.
Regardless of the extent of your child’s head injury, you should stop the activity they are doing. You should seek medical help to examine the extent of the injury.
If your child has a head injury, even if it seems mild, they should stop the activity they are doing (including sports). Call your primary care provider, who will talk to you about the injury and symptoms and decide if your child needs medical care.
If your child has a severe head injury and shows these signs, call 911. This may include the following signs:
If your child isn’t breathing, perform CPR if you know how. If there’s bleeding, apply firm pressure until it stops. Only move your child if they’re in danger; otherwise, leave them in place. If your child is wearing a helmet or sports equipment, don’t attempt to remove it.
Concussion symptoms could include any or all of these symptoms, and warrant evaluation:
We recommend calling your primary care provider to determine if an in-office visit or ER visit is recommended.
While not all head injuries can be prevented, taking the following steps can reduce the chance or extent of the injury:
If you would like a medical examination of your child’s head injury, give us a call. At the SportsSafe: Pediatric Concussion Clinic in Austin, TX, our providers can help your child get back to sports and physical activity safely. We can provide the following:
Contact us to book your appointment today!
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