A 10 month old child hit his head, what should I do? What should you do if your child hits his head when he falls? Signs of brain contusion in children

It is difficult to find a child who would never fall and get a bump during his childhood. As soon as the toddler learns to stand, bumps, bruises and scratches appear on his body. The world around him is so interesting to him that he begins to actively study it. The consequences of such studies are often head injuries.

Most of the “flights” end for the little fidget without much damage to health. Bumps caused by a child, as well as abrasions and small wounds, quickly disappear without causing much trouble. Everything would be fine, but there are injuries that threaten not only the health of the baby, but also life. What to do in this case?

Why are head impacts dangerous in young children?

Babies are fidgety - they constantly jump and run, which means they fall. As a result of these “flights,” bumps, bruises, abrasions, etc. appear on the head. Some parents do not pay attention, believing that this is normal and nothing needs to be done. This is their main mistake. If your child hits his head but doesn't complain, you should still see a doctor. Signs of injury may not appear immediately, but may take some time.

Depending on the complexity and nature of the injury, a head injury can provoke:

• epilepsy;
• intracranial hematoma turning into a tumor;
• encephalitis;
• traumatic meningitis.

When a child falls head down, he hits his forehead or fontanelle, resulting in a lump. Small vessels are injured upon impact, and the tissue around them fills with blood. This is how swelling and hematoma form. Thanks to the strong bones of the skull, such injuries do not pose a threat to the baby’s life.

It happens that a newborn or older baby falls on his back. Such a fall can lead to injury to the back of the head. Such bruises often cause serious complications that pose a danger to the baby’s life.

Damage to the back of the head causes:

• loss of consciousness;
• concussions;
• deformation of the skull with subsequent compression of the brain;
• tissue bruise of the main organ of the central nervous system;
• trembling legs.

When children fall, they can injure not only their head, but also their body (dislocate a leg or hit their neck). The possibility of spinal cord injury cannot be ruled out, which can lead to problems with the musculoskeletal system.

Types and symptoms of head injuries

Head injuries are divided into:

• open;
• closed.

Open TBI is a head injury in which the integrity of the dura mater is disrupted, that is, the bones of the skull are crushed. The only treatment for such injuries is surgery.

With a closed injury, the skin and bones remain intact. Damage of this type includes:

• brain injury - characterized by loss of consciousness, nosebleeds, impaired speech and coordination, darkening of the skin in the eye area;
• bruise of soft tissues - as a result, a bump, bruise occurs, and prolonged crying is noted;
• concussion - can cause fever, severe vomiting, loss of consciousness for a short time, dizziness, clouding of consciousness.

If we consider head injuries by severity, the most harmless are bumps and bruises. They do not require medical attention and go away on their own. Next comes a concussion. It occurs in 90% of all head impacts. In third place in severity is brain injury and compression, which can lead to rupture of blood vessels. The most dangerous injury is an open head injury, which takes a very long and difficult time to heal.

What symptoms indicate that a child’s head blow has not gone away without leaving a trace and that it is necessary to immediately consult a doctor? First of all, you need to pay attention to the following signs:

• tearfulness, not typical before;
• loud crying;
• lethargy, drowsiness;
• eye pupils have different sizes;
• loss of consciousness immediately after the blow;
• nausea and vomiting;
• headache;
• weakness in the limbs;
• disturbances of the sensory organs.

If the child is not yet a year old, then the alarming symptoms are:

• bleeding from the ears or nose;
• pale skin;
• protrusion of the fontanelle (more details in the article:);
• bruises under the eyes (we recommend reading:);
• frequent regurgitation, uncharacteristic for a baby;
• poor appetite or its complete absence;
• problems with vestibulation;
• speech and hearing impairment;
• restless sleep with constant twitching of the limbs.

The body of infants can react to damage in other ways. Immediately after a head injury, the baby can fall asleep soundly, and then wake up full of strength and energy. In this case, parents should not relax too much, believing that the fall passed without consequences. This reaction of the baby’s body can hide the true danger of the injuries received.

Consequences for the child

The consequences of hitting your head are very different. They depend on what part of the baby’s head was hit and the severity of the injury.

If a child falls down a slide or hits his forehead on the floor or asphalt, then at best he will get away with a bump. The situation is much more serious when the consequence of a baby’s fall is a traumatic brain injury, which can be either open or closed:

• open TBI threatens the child with clouding of consciousness, damage to the skull bones and a bleeding wound on the head;
• the consequences of closed TBI are brain contusions or concussions (more details in the article:).

If the baby hits the back of the head or fontanelle, the outcome can be extremely negative. It can be expressed:

• disturbance of perception;
• absent-mindedness, inattention;
• anxious sleep;
• memory problems;
• headache (we recommend reading:).

You should not ignore the fact of a child’s head injury, because even a slight blow can lead to serious consequences:

• disruption of brain function;
• improper regulation of tone, which may result in increased blood pressure;
• impaired blood circulation;
• brain atrophy as a result of compression;
• increased intracranial pressure;
• cyst formation.

Timely initiation of therapy will help avoid negative consequences. The main thing is not to miss the moment.

How to provide first aid after a fall?

Due to the fact that no child is immune from falls and blows, every parent should know how to behave if the child is seriously injured. Timely first aid will help minimize the risk of developing severe complications.

To begin with, adults should carefully but very carefully examine the site of the injury and try to visually determine the severity of the injury. If a child gets a bump or a hematoma forms at the site of the impact, then immediately apply ice or something cold to it (for example, a bottle of cold water or a wet handkerchief). To reduce swelling, keep the cold compress for at least 5 minutes.

The child should be placed on the bed so that the head and spine are at the same level. If your baby suddenly has a fever and starts vomiting, he should be turned on his side. This position will ensure unhindered discharge of vomit. The victim will be able to breathe normally.

If, as a result of a fall, a child has an abrasion on his forehead and blood is flowing, it is necessary to treat the wound. The procedure will require a solution of hydrogen peroxide. It will prevent infection of the wound by pathogens. When the bleeding cannot be stopped, an ambulance should be called immediately.

The child may have a headache or dizziness (see also:). He may become too irritable and act up at the slightest provocation or even without it. The duration of his sleep increases, and the period of wakefulness, on the contrary, decreases. All of these symptoms may indicate that the victim has a serious head injury or concussion. If nausea, vomiting and loss of consciousness are added to all this, then parents urgently need to call a doctor.

Quite often it happens that the baby falls and hits his forehead, but there are no visible injuries at the site of the injury. In this case, parents should monitor the baby for several days and note the slightest deviations from the norm in his behavior.

What to do next?

After providing first aid, the child must be calmed down. Regardless of the force of the blow, the baby needs complete rest. To do this, he should be put in bed and, for example, read a book. It would also be a good idea to talk to him about what happened and explain that nothing bad happened, and as soon as he rests a little, he can continue playing.

Adults must do everything to keep the baby awake. He can't be allowed to sleep. Why? Because after injuries, many people begin to feel sleepy, but in this case, parents may miss the main symptoms indicating the severity of the injury.

At night, doctors strongly recommend waking up the child. This is necessary to test the victim's coordination. If, within a few days after the incident, the baby is in good health and absolutely nothing bothers him, parents can breathe a sigh of relief and no longer worry about this. The main thing they should provide is long, inactive walks with the child in the fresh air.

Diagnosis and treatment of head injuries

To find out whether the baby received a TBI due to impact, a number of tests and studies are carried out:

• Ultrasound of the brain for children under 1.5 years old;
• CT or MRI;
• electroencephalogram;
• Lumbar puncture.

If the diagnosis is confirmed, the child is prescribed treatment. It includes:

• a course of medications - anticonvulsants, antispasmodics and sedatives;
• physiotherapy;
• individual mode - absolute rest, which involves excluding active games and any other physical activity, reducing TV and PC viewing.

A concussion in a one-year-old baby or a child 2 years of age or older must be treated inpatiently so that doctors have the opportunity to monitor the condition of the little patient around the clock. In the department, the baby is guaranteed to receive the physical and psycho-emotional peace he needs. Treatment lasts 7-10 days.

Preventive measures

There is no pill that could protect a baby from all injuries. But there are a few simple rules that will keep falls to a minimum:

• a one-month-old baby, while on a changing table, bed or in a stroller, should never be left alone;
• When changing a diaper, the mother must hold the baby;
• It is better to cover the floor around the sofa with pillows so that a child playing on top does not hurt himself if he falls;
• When putting your baby in the stroller, don’t forget to fasten it;
• If you stop, the wheels of the stroller must be put on the brakes;
• At home, put your child on socks with rubber inserts that prevent slipping;
• every sharp corner in the apartment should be masked with special devices;
• hold the baby’s hand tightly while going down the stairs with him;
• When buying roller skates or a bicycle for your child, do not forget to buy a helmet and knee pads.

All children love outdoor games. One thing is bad: laughter and happy screams often turn into tears, because jumping and running often lead to injuries. But scratches rarely cause concern among parents. Everyone knows how to provide first aid if a child is not seriously injured: it is enough to treat the problem area with an antiseptic or bruise ointment and monitor the condition of the injured area of ​​skin until it heals.

But when a child hits his head during a fall, many parents begin to panic. This is due to the fact that children's bones are not as strong as those of adults, and the baby can easily get a concussion or damage the skull.

What to do if a child hits his head? What should you pay attention to first? How can I help? Which doctor should I visit? Parents begin to frantically search for answers to these questions, especially if the baby lands completely unsuccessfully.

Are head impacts dangerous for a child?

Young children fall all the time when they are learning to walk, playing, or fooling around. The consequences may vary. For some, everything ends well, for others - with serious bruises and abrasions.

A child's body is structured differently than an adult's. Nature itself must have taken care of the child’s safety. There is a large amount of fluid between the baby's brain and cranial bones. In the event of a fall, it protects the main organ of the central nervous system from damage. The presence of a non-ossified part of the skull also helps to mitigate the consequences of an unsuccessful landing. The fontanel is capable of absorbing the force of an impact.

The risk of serious head injury from a fall depends on age. The younger the child, the more fragile his skull bones are. This means that the chance of getting a dangerous brain injury increases.

If your baby falls and hits his head, you should immediately consult a doctor. The specialist will conduct an examination and, if necessary, select treatment that will help avoid serious consequences of the injury.

Is hitting the back of the head dangerous for a child?

If your child hits the back of his head during a fall, you should start to worry. Such a landing is fraught with serious consequences:

• open or closed craniocerebral injury;
• concussion;
• bruise of brain tissue;
• deformation of the skull and subsequent compression of the main organ of the central nervous system.

In rare cases, children experience blurred vision and impaired coordination.

It is worth noting, however, the following: if a child hits the back of his head, the consequences will not always be dire. The result of a fall can be a simple bump or bruise. However, you need to know if any warning signs appear and you should immediately consult a doctor. As the saying goes,

Symptoms of brain injury include:

• the appearance of nausea and vomiting;
• loss of consciousness;
• acute headache;
• increased sweating;
• trembling in the arms and legs;
• darkening of the eyes;
• pallor.

If you discover one of these symptoms, do not delay your visit to a specialist so as not to worsen the child’s condition.

What other symptoms could there be?

If a child hits his head, what should you pay attention to? Observe the behavior and appearance of the victim. Try to keep him awake for 2-3 hours after the fall to be able to promptly notice the appearance of alarming symptoms, including:

• increased drowsiness;
• feeling sluggish;
• irritability or tearfulness uncharacteristic for a child;
• different reaction of pupils to light;
• dizziness;
• problems maintaining balance;
• the appearance of tinnitus;
• decreased appetite;
• bleeding from the nose or ears;
• sleep disturbance;
• deterioration of vision, hearing;
• bruises under the eyes;
• dilated pupils for no apparent reason;
• blood in urine and stool.

The child hit his head: what to do?

The ability to provide proper first aid is the key to ensuring that the baby does not have serious complications. If a child falls head down, it is necessary to examine the site of the injury, determine the severity of the injury and treat the wound, if any.

First aid will depend on the type of injury the baby received. If he needs to apply a compress. Take ice, frozen fruits, vegetables or meat from the refrigerator. Wrap in cotton cloth or gauze and apply to the damaged area. The compress should be kept for 3-5 minutes. It will help soothe pain and relieve swelling.

You can use magnesium instead of ice. The powder should be dissolved in water, a piece of sterile gauze should be soaked in it and applied to the bump. The procedure should be repeated three times a day. Magnesium sulfate will relieve swelling and reduce pain.

The hematoma can be treated with ointment for bruises and contusions. The drugs “Spasatel”, “Troxevasin”, “Sinyak-OFF” will help to cope with the injury in a short time.

Help with abrasions and bleeding

Did your child hit their head with an open wound? What to pay attention to when providing assistance?

See if there is any bleeding. If the damage is serious, trim the hair around it so that it does not interfere with the treatment and does not provoke the onset of the inflammatory process.

Clean the wound with a cotton swab soaked in hydrogen peroxide or chlorhexidine. If there is bleeding from the damaged area, apply a compress with an antiseptic for 10 minutes.

After this time, lubricate the skin around the wound with iodine or brilliant green. Make sure that the product does not get on the injured area. Burning the tissue will only slow down the healing process.

If the bleeding has not stopped within 10 minutes, call an ambulance.

First aid in the absence of visible damage

If a child hits his head, but upon examination you find no external injuries, do not rush to rejoice. Symptoms of a traumatic brain injury may take several hours to appear.

Limit your child's physical and mental activity. On the day of the fall, do not allow him to sit at the computer, read too much, or watch TV. Let the baby lie down and rest as much as possible.

How to help if a child hits his head? What should I pay attention to if there is no external damage? Observe the baby's behavior and condition. Monitor the quality of his sleep and appetite. Find out how he feels.

If you suspect a traumatic brain injury, contact your doctor immediately.

The child hit his head. Consequences of the impact: what could they be?

Even a slight blow to the head can have very unpleasant consequences:

• disruption of the functioning of the main organ of the central nervous system due to injury;
• increased blood pressure due to improper regulation of vascular tone;
• circulatory disorders;
• cystic formations;
• increased intracranial pressure;
• followed by atrophy.

The severity of the consequences depends on how serious the injury was. Timely treatment plays an important role. If the therapeutic course was started when the traumatic brain injury was in an advanced state, the recovery period will be long and the consequences will be severe.

Visit to the doctor

Head injuries after a fall are dealt with by a pediatric traumatologist or surgeon. The specialist will begin the examination with general questions about the child’s well-being. Find out what symptoms of traumatic brain injury have appeared. If your suspicions are confirmed, the child will be hospitalized.

The hospital will conduct a comprehensive examination, which will accurately determine whether the baby has internal injuries and find out how serious the child’s condition is.

• Neurosonography. Used for children 1-1.5 years old. Allows you to examine the structure of the brain using ultrasound through the fontanel. Examination with this device has no negative consequences.
• Lumbar puncture. Cerebrospinal fluid is taken for analysis if intracranial hemorrhage is suspected.
• Magnetic resonance imaging of the head (MRI). The most informative and safest way of examination. Shows whether changes have occurred in brain tissue.
• Computed tomography. X-ray examination. You can undergo this procedure no more than twice a year. Creates an X-ray image of a section of the brain, allowing you to accurately assess the condition of the organ.

In early childhood, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the head are performed under general anesthesia. This is due to the fact that during the examination it is necessary to remain in a motionless position for a long time. It is very difficult for a child not to move for a long period.

If a child hits his head, do not immediately panic. Try to provide first aid. Observe the baby's condition. If you notice alarming symptoms, contact your doctor immediately. Timely treatment will help bring the child’s health in order in a short time and relieve the negative consequences of the injury.

The energy of children contributes not only to understanding the world, but also to receiving various types of injuries. In babies with uncoordinated movements, the head mostly suffers. When preparing for the arrival of a new family member, it is worth assessing the home environment in terms of the presence of traumatic items (for example, furniture with sharp corners) and try to remove them.

But this will not completely protect the young researcher, because he can fall even on a flat floor while learning to walk. If a child hits his head, you should quickly, without panicking, assess the severity of the injury. It depends on the strength and location of the impact whether it will be just a bump or whether it is worth rushing to the hospital.

Indeed, often a blow to the forehead is accompanied only by a bruise of soft tissues - a bump appears on the child’s head. It forms in the same way as any bruise, but it will be convex due to a large number of small vessels that burst and fill nearby tissues with blood.

Serious injuries from such a blow are unlikely, since the strong frontal bone reliably protects the head. But you should play it safe and call a pediatrician if your newborn hits his forehead. The younger the victim, the more serious consequences a hematoma on the forehead can have.

However, a strong blow can cause a traumatic brain injury. The open injury is obvious: there is a wound on the head and obvious bone damage. It is treated surgically in combination with medication.

With a closed injury, the skin and bones are externally intact, but there are internal injuries, the signs of which should be known.

Closed head injuries vary in severity:

1. With a brain injury, loss of consciousness usually occurs and breathing is impaired. You may experience ear or nosebleeds, dark circles around the eyes, problems with speech, and disturbances in facial expressions due to damage to the facial nerve. To treat a mild bruise, a course of medications is prescribed, but only a surgeon can eliminate the consequences of a severe bruise.
2. Concussions from impact are diagnosed frequently by doctors and can usually be treated with medication without further complications. If a concussion occurs, a child may be unconscious for several minutes and then experience nausea, vomiting, and headache. If the doctor has prescribed medications and prescribed home bed rest, but the patient has persistent restless sleep or other alarming signs, it would be useful to call a pediatrician at home.
3. A skull fracture can be suspected by bloody discharge from the ears and nostrils. You should immediately go to the hospital to have an x-ray done. Treatment in this case involves surgery followed by medication.

A blow to the back of the head is no less dangerous

A blow to the back of the head can cause visual impairment. The occipital lobe of the brain is responsible for the functioning of the visual organs. Moreover, the consequences may not appear immediately, but after some time. Therefore, even if there are no complaints from the victim, it would be wiser to quickly show him to a specialist who knows what to do if the child hits the back of his head.

A rare, but extremely unpleasant complication occurs if the child hits the back of the head on the left side. Sometimes victims develop disturbances in the perception of the surrounding space on the left, they begin to forget everything, sleep poorly, and suffer from headaches. Similar phenomena can be observed when the back of the head is damaged on the right.

A strong blow to the back of the head can cause traumatic brain injury in the same way as a blow to the forehead.

What should a mother do if her baby falls?

1. Feel sorry for and calm the baby after a fall, and then examine him from all sides, starting from the head, for scratches, bruises, bleeding wounds on the forehead and the back of the head.
2. Calm down yourself and evaluate whether the fall was really serious. If the baby slipped from the sofa onto the carpet and bumped, then he cries more from fear and gets off with a bruise. But if he fell out of the high stroller and hit his head on the asphalt, his mother should worry.
3. The grown-up child is able to talk about what happened. You should ask him whether his head hurts or not, whether there is blurred vision. The pupils should not be constricted or dilated.
4. Measure the pulse and compare the data with the age norm (in newborns it reaches 130-140 beats per minute, then becomes less frequent as they grow older). Deviations from the norm should alert you.
5. Eliminate noisy entertainment and visual stress, but do not allow sleep. While sleeping, it will be more difficult to diagnose a concussion, if any.
6. It must be borne in mind that if, after hitting a child, he does not cry for several minutes, then, most likely, he lost consciousness.
7. Treat damaged skin. Small abrasions are disinfected with hydrogen peroxide, after which wound healing ointments are used. And if a child has a bump, then apply cooling compresses to it for 3 minutes to prevent swelling. In case of severe bleeding that could not be stopped within a quarter of an hour, as well as if the symptoms described above appear, you should call a doctor.
8. Schedule a visit to the clinic soon. It is necessary to show a child who has hit his head to a pediatrician to assess his general condition, an ophthalmologist to rule out visual disturbances after a blow, and a neurosurgeon to receive a referral for a brain examination.

Warning signs that you shouldn't stay home

If a child falls and hits their head, the most frightening consequence is brain damage. Moreover, its signs may not appear instantly, but after a few hours.

You should call an ambulance immediately if the following symptoms appear:

• loss of consciousness;
• deviation of heart rate from the age norm;
• bleeding from the ears or nose;
• vomiting, diarrhea with traces of blood;
• blue or pale skin;
• darkened skin under the eyes and behind the ears;
• deterioration in coordination of movements, twitching, numbness of the limbs;
• change in pupil size, squint;
• lethargy, drowsiness, changes in sleep patterns and patterns, tearfulness;
• lack of appetite;
• the child's lump is too swollen or a depression appears instead of a lump.

While waiting for the doctor to arrive, you should put the baby to bed, while distracting him and not allowing him to fall asleep. When vomiting, it is better to turn it on its side so that liquid does not enter the respiratory tract. Painkillers taken before the doctor arrives may interfere with assessing the baby’s condition.

If a child falls on his back and hits himself, there is a possibility of a spinal injury; he must be handled very carefully to avoid additional displacement of the vertebrae.

What to expect when admitted to hospital

The doctor will examine the victim, ask him or his parents to tell him about the blow, clarify whether he hit the back of the head or the forehead, assess the damage and advise on further actions.

The baby will probably be sent for a CT scan of the brain to rule out hemorrhages and fractures.
Patients up to one and a half years old are examined through a fontanelle that is not yet closed.

How to protect your child's head from blows

You should always be on guard with a baby. This even applies to a newborn, who, it would seem, cannot even turn on his side. After all, it is the absence of a mother that can prompt a baby to learn to roll over right on the changing table.

Such tables are convenient for parents, but from a safety point of view, a large soft surface (a bed or a blanket spread on the floor) is preferable for changing clothes. Let the baby always be under supervision or in a safe area - in the playpen.

It is unwise to neglect seat belts in a stroller. Although the baby is not yet able to get out of it, nothing can guarantee that the stroller will not tip over if it hits a bump. The straps will keep the little passenger from falling onto the road. It is not for nothing that there are belts on high chairs, because a fall from such a height onto the floor or tiles can result in injury.

When the baby begins to explore the space at home and often bumps, you need to look at the surrounding objects from the height of his height and protect every sharp corner with silicone pads. For children learning to walk, there are special socks and tights with non-slip soles.

Kids often trip and hit themselves when going down the stairs, so you need to not let go of the child's hand. While climbing the steps, you also need to hold the baby’s hand or secure him from behind, as there is a danger of falling on his back.

Many injuries happen on the playground. It is dangerous to play next to older children; it is better to distract and take your baby away. If it is not possible to leave, then the mother should be near the child. You need to be especially vigilant near swings, carousels and other moving structures.

Children who have shown a desire to master roller skates or a balance bike must immediately be taught that they must wear a helmet. The young athlete should also be taught how to fall correctly.

Parents should know what to do if their child does hit their head. And you need to patiently explain to your children how important it is not to hit themselves. Infants simply need to be protected, and older children need to be taught household safety rules.

Ekaterina Morozova

Reading time: 4 minutes

A A

A child's skull is more fragile and vulnerable than that of an adult. Accordingly, the risk of serious injury increases significantly. Especially in the 1st year of life, when the bones have not yet fused and can easily move from a blow. Babies fall out of strollers and cribs, roll off the changing table and just plop down out of the blue. It’s good if everything turns out to be a bump or abrasion, but what should a mother do if the baby hits his head hard?

We treat the bruise after hitting a child with his head - first aid rules for bumps and wounds on the head.

If your baby hits his head, the most important thing is not to panic and not to scare your baby with your panic.

• We soberly and calmly assess the condition of the baby: carefully place the child on the bed and examine the head to see if there are visible injuries (hematomas or redness, abrasions on the forehead and head, lump, bleeding, swelling, dissection of soft tissues).
• If your baby fell while you were flipping pancakes in the kitchen, ask the baby in detail– where you fell, how you fell and where you hit. If, of course, the baby is already able to speak.
• If you fall from a serious height onto a hard surface(tiles, concrete, etc.), do not waste time - call an ambulance right away.
• When falling on the carpet During the game, most likely, the worst thing that awaits the baby is a bump, but attentiveness will not hurt.
• Calm the child and distract him with something– hysteria increases bleeding (if any) and increases intracranial pressure.

• Apply ice wrapped in a towel to the injury site. Keep it for no more than 15 minutes; ice is needed to relieve swelling and prevent the hematoma from spreading. If there is no ice, you can use a bag with any frozen food.
• Treat the wound or abrasion with hydrogen peroxide to avoid infection. If there is further bleeding (if it is not stopped), call an ambulance.
• Watch your baby carefully. If signs of a concussion appear, call an ambulance immediately. Before the doctor arrives, do not give any painkillers, so as not to “blur the picture” for the diagnosis.

The child fell and hit his head, but there were no injuries - we are monitoring the general condition of the baby

It happens that after a baby falls and hurts its head, the mother cannot find any visible injuries. What should I do?

• Over the next 24 hours be especially attentive to your baby. The hours immediately after the fall are the most important for symptoms.
• Note - Is your baby dizzy? whether he suddenly fell asleep, whether he felt nauseous, whether he was able to answer questions, etc.
• Don't let the baby sleep so as not to miss the appearance of certain symptoms.
• If the baby calms down after 10-20 minutes, and no visible symptoms appeared within 24 hours; most likely, everything turned out to be a slight bruise of soft tissues. But if you have even the slightest doubt or suspicion, consult a doctor. It's better to play it safe once again.
• Children of the 1st year of life cannot tell what and where it hurts. As a rule, they only cry loudly, are nervous, refuse to eat, sleep restlessly after an injury, and experience nausea or vomiting. If these symptoms are prolonged and even worsen, a concussion can be assumed.

For what symptoms after a head injury does a child need to be seen urgently by a doctor - be careful!

You should urgently call an ambulance if you have the following symptoms:

• The baby loses consciousness.
• There is heavy bleeding.
• The baby feels sick or vomits.
• The child developed headaches.
• The baby suddenly fell asleep.
• The child is restless and does not stop crying.
• The baby's pupils are enlarged or have different sizes.
• The child is not able to answer even simple questions.
• The baby's movements are abrupt and erratic.
• Convulsions appeared.
• Confused consciousness.
• Limbs don't move.
• There is bleeding from the ears and nose (sometimes with the appearance of colorless liquid from there).
• Blue-black incomprehensible spots or a bruise appeared behind the ear.
• Blood appeared in the whites of the eyes.

What to do before the doctor arrives?

• Place your baby on his side to prevent choking on vomit.
• Secure the child in a safe position.
• Check his pulse, the regularity of his breathing and the size of his pupils.
• Keep your baby awake and keep him in a horizontal position so that both his head and body are at the same level.
• Give artificial respiration if the baby is not breathing. Tilt his head back, check that the tongue does not block the larynx, and, holding the baby’s nose, blow air from mouth to mouth. You are doing everything correctly if your chest visually rises.
• If there are convulsions, immediately turn the baby on his side; in this state he needs complete rest. Do not give medications, wait for the doctor.

Even if everything is good and serious you didn’t need an examination - don’t relax. Observe the baby for 7-10 days. Take him to the doctor immediately if in doubt. And remember that it is better to once again make sure of the baby’s health than to later treat the consequences of a bruise that you “overlooked.”

Overly active children become a headache for parents. It is difficult to keep an eye on the baby, he is constantly climbing somewhere and tirelessly studying the world around him. Such activity in some cases leads to disaster. For example, a child will fall and get injured. Should your loved ones be worried? Dr. Komarovsky will help you figure it out.

Don't panic

First of all, Komarovsky advises parents not to panic. The famous doctor emphasizes that falls usually do not lead to dangerous consequences. For the most part, only the parents suffer, or rather, their nervous system. When a child falls, the body effectively protects itself from serious injury. Hitting your head will not necessarily cause damage. Protect from defects:

• “fontanelles” of the skull, protecting against sudden fluctuations in pressure in the head;
• large volumes of cerebrospinal fluid that can absorb shock;
• softness of the bones, due to which there is little risk of fracture, and so on.

But attention to such situations will not be superfluous. A child who hits his head needs special supervision. Komarovsky emphasizes that parents should monitor warning signs. If you find them, you will have to see a doctor as soon as possible. What symptomatic manifestations are especially important?

Dangerous consequences

There are a huge number of negative consequences of “landing” a child not on his feet, but on his head. They appear extremely rarely, so parents should not get hysterical. Komarovsky names the following symptoms that should make you wary.

1. Impaired consciousness. If the child has ceased to respond adequately to what is happening, the help of a specialist is required.
2. Difficulties with speech. This is important for children who have already begun to speak normally.
3. Drowsiness and unusual indifference to the environment for a baby.
4. Severe headaches that are not localized specifically at the site of the injury and last for several hours.
5. Repeated vomiting. One episode of vomiting after falling and hitting your head is not a bad symptom. Several attacks are already a big risk.
6. Difficulty maintaining balance or controlling limbs lasting longer than an hour.
7. Any discharge from the nose or ears, including blood.
8. Blue spots under the eyes against a background of pale facial skin.

Having noticed symptoms, you should not delay calling an ambulance. Delay is destructive.

How to help

The first priority for parents is to remain calm. The more calmly they can behave, the higher the likelihood of a favorable outcome. What to do after a baby falls on your head? Here, again, Komarovsky gives excellent recommendations.

1. The symptoms described indicate very serious damage. Therefore, it is necessary to immediately call a doctor without delay. Before arrival, the injured child should be provided with a calm environment. Any stress factors are excluded. It is better to place the baby on its side. The resulting vomit will begin to flow away unhindered.
2. If there are no obvious injuries, it is enough to place a rag soaked in cold water on the area of ​​the head where the blow occurred. Then the pain will decrease. Such an effect will stop the bleeding and prevent severe swelling from developing.
3. Are there any visible consequences of the impact? It is still necessary to monitor the child’s condition for the next 24 hours. He needs peace and constant control. To make sure there are no serious injuries, you should check whether the child is able to answer questions adequately. This can also be done with the coordination of the baby. There should be no dizziness or repeated falls.

Komarovsky considers the occurrence of noticeable disturbances during the first 24 hours after a fall on the head to be an important diagnostic criterion. The impact does not necessarily result in a concussion. Possible brain contusion or spinal damage. And such consequences are not easy to notice. If you suspect a serious injury, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible. He will make sure that the “flight” does not affect the baby’s development.