Invariably, your child will at some point suffer a mild head injury. Since the scalp has such a good blood supply, big lumps with a lot of bleeding can occur with only minor injury. Fortunately, only about 1-2% of pediatric head injuries are severe enough to cause a skull fracture. Even though the lump on your child’s head might look quite impressive, you can most likely take care of it at home. If there is any bleeding, gently cleanse the area with soap and water and apply pressure for several minutes until the bleeding stops. Apply ice for 10-15 minutes for any swelling.
Many parents worry about a concussion after their child’s head injury. Unless your child had temporary unconsciousness, confusion or amnesia, they do not have a concussion. It is not uncommon for children to throw up after a head injury and this only becomes concerning if it happens more than a few times. Other worrisome signs after a head injury include unequal pupils and excessive drowsiness. If your child sustains a head injury close to nap-time, it is okay to let them nap as long as you check in on them, making sure they awaken after an hour or two as usual. If it is close to bed-time, you can let them go to sleep but it is recommended that you awaken them when you go to bed and again 4 hours later just to be extra cautious.
Call us if you think your child might need stitches, your child complains of steadily worsening headache, he vomits more than three times, complains of blurred or double vision or if your child becomes difficult to awaken or is confused after a head injury.
