Head Injuries

You or another responsible adult should stay with your child for the first 24 hours and be ready to take your child  to the doctor’s office or hospital if there is a problem. Your child may need to be watched carefully for a few days because there could be a delay in signs of a more serious injury.

If there are any changes in your child’s condition, call your child’s doctor right away. You may need to bring your child to the doctor’s office or directly to the hospital. The following are signs of a more serious injury:

• A constant headache, particularly one that gets worse
• Slurred speech or confusion
• Dizziness that does not go away or happens repeatedly
• Extreme irritability or other abnormal behavior
• Vomiting
• Stumbling or difficulty walking
• Oozing blood or watery fluid from the nose or ears
• Difficulty waking up or excessive sleepiness
• Unequal size of the pupils (the dark center part of the eyes)
• Double vision or blurry vision
• Unusual paleness that lasts for more than an hour
• Convulsions (seizures)
• Difficulty recognizing familiar people
• Weakness of arms or legs
• Persistent ringing in the ears

Q: What if my child loses consciousness?

A: If your child loses consciousness, call 112.