Thursday, April 5, 2012

How to treat Head injuries in children

How restless and helpless did you feel when your loved one fell down and hurt himself in the head for the first time? Wasn’t it terribly petrifying  and distressing? I have experienced the same too!!
Well, the good news is that most head injuries are not alarming and you can do a lot to safeguard your  little one in such mishaps .Head injuries in children are common during childhood and adolescence. After all, falling is a way of growing up too!!


I did a bit of my research on the net and thought of sharing some useful information .
Treatment (If the child is not an infant ,has not lost consciousness and doesn’t exhibit any of the behaviors below):
·         Apply an ice pack wrapped in a cloth to the affected area
·         If the child is bleeding, press a clean cloth lightly and check if it stops after a while, else see a doctor. If the cloth soaks, place a new one.
·         If color and breathing are normal, and no other abnormalities are observed, let the child sleep (unless the doctor advises otherwise).

·         Observe the child closely for the next 24 hours. If you notice any signs of internal injury, visit a doctor immediately.
·         Check for the patient’s breathing pattern and if necessary do     Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
·         If the child is vomiting, turn him to the side keeping the head and neck straight..This will prevent choking and further injuries.

Call the doctor if following signs are noticed:

o  Won't stop crying
o  The child is an infant
o  Bleeding
o  Has lost consciousness, even momentarily;
o  Head and neck pain
o  Vomits continually
o  Difficult to awaken
o  Hard to console (Restless/irritability)
o  Doesn’t walk normally
o  Fracture/stiff neck
o  Blurred vision
o  Garbled speech/convulsion
o  Difficulty in breathing
o  Any other abnormal behavior

Here’s a checklist for head injuries that I found at http://kidshealth.org/parent/firstaid_safe/emergencies/head_injury.html
head_injury_checklist

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