Addictions 

What happens if the child hits his head. The baby has fallen! We take urgent action

When should you see a doctor, and in what cases can you get by with an ice towel? We will discuss this and the alarming symptoms in babies after falls below.

Why do babies beat their heads most often?

Mechanical trauma to the skull is one of the most common reasons frightened parents turn to trauma departments. This is by no means due to the childish "shilopopost", but because of the special child's anatomy.

The fact is that in babies under the age of five years, the head weighs about a quarter of the total body weight. Accordingly, when it falls, it hits first. Since there is no instinct for self-preservation yet and coordination is poorly developed, the baby does not put his hands in front of him in flight, hence the increased likelihood of a concussion and other troubles.

The “fontanelles” that do not overgrow up to a year, and a large amount of cerebrospinal fluid in the cranium, which can soften the fall, save babies from severe head injuries during a fall.

Fortunately, most falls turn out to be only fright and bruises in children and wasted nerves of parents. And yet, everyone should know the warning signs in which it is necessary to provide the baby with first aid.

How to recognize a shock hazard?

When babies begin to crawl and then walk, they very often stumble, bump, fall (and often from a height greater than their height), as a result of which bumps, abrasions, bruises and bruises appear on the head. How to recognize exactly how dangerous this particular blow or bump is for the health of a fidget? Should I show my child to a pediatrician, neurologist, or go straight to the emergency department of traumatology?

Frontal head injury

If, after falling or hitting an obstacle, a huge bump swells on the crumbs on the forehead, this is quite normal. Severe edema is caused by a large number of blood vessels bursting with mechanical injury in the soft tissues of the skull. Hematomas on the forehead are most often round in shape, they quickly subside and cease to bother the fidget and his parents, in most cases they do not have serious consequences.

However, all this is true for older children, the fall and blows to the head of the baby should not be ignored - show the baby to the pediatrician, even if you think that there is no danger. An experienced doctor will examine the baby and reassure the parents.

Injury to the back of the head

A blow to the back of the head is a serious reason to go to the emergency room of the pediatric traumatology department or to the pediatrician: often such injuries have rather serious consequences. And the younger the baby, the sooner it is necessary to see a doctor, the delay can cost the child the vision, because in the occipital part of the skull there are nerve endings connecting the visual center of the brain and the eyeballs.

In addition to vision problems, the child may have impaired coordination of movements and develop tremors. There is a high likelihood of neurological developmental abnormalities.

First aid for mechanical trauma to the skull

After a fall, do not hesitate, inspect the bruised area and assess the severity of the injury. Then give first aid and, if necessary, call an ambulance. If the bump or cut on the head is very large and looks intimidating, take a photo of the wound with your mobile phone for a doctor (swelling of the soft tissues on the head can go away very quickly).

If a large bump or hematoma appears on the baby's head

Soothe the baby and apply a cold compress or just a bottle of cold water wrapped in a thin cloth to the site of the injury. Hold the compress for five minutes and remove it for two to three minutes (to restore blood circulation). This will ease the pain a little and stop internal bleeding. Then reapply the compress for five minutes. Repeat these actions for about 20-30 minutes - it is during this time that the final formation of the hematoma occurs.

If there is a bleeding abrasion on the forehead or back of the head

With a sterile cotton swab or a piece of bandage moistened with hydrogen peroxide, treat the abrasion, stop the blood by simply pressing a clean, dry bandage to the wound (you need to press lightly, for three to five minutes).

A child over two years old who can endure a slight tingling sensation can be disinfected with rubbing alcohol, vodka, or washed with soap and water.

If the blood continues to flow despite all the manipulations, call an ambulance.

If you find no damage after the fall

Behave as usual, calm the baby down and caress him. Watch his behavior tirelessly - any oddities should alert you. The child may become naughty, complain of headaches and nausea, get tired quickly and sleep unusually long - all these are alarm bells indicating a possible concussion or neurological problems.

If your child, after hitting his head, roars, complains of nausea and migraines, faints and is uncoordinated, call an ambulance immediately.

How to behave if there is a slight suspicion of a concussion?

If the baby is old enough to explain his condition to his parents (he can tell where he hurts, that he is sick or dizzy), and you see no good reason to take him to the doctor, but doubts remain, just watch.

  • Immediately after the fall, calm the baby down and put him in bed, keep him busy with quiet games and stories, read a book. Explain that everything is fine, but now you need to lie down quietly for a while.
  • Observe your baby for several hours for anxiety symptoms. Do not let sleep for at least three to four hours: in a dream, you can miss the aggravation of a concussion.
  • If the child is very small, wake him up at night and monitor the coordination of movements.
  • Observe the fidget for three to four days: if during this period there were no warning signs, then the injury passed without complications.

Bad signs with head injury

Any injury to the skull requires careful long-term supervision of parents at home or doctors in the hospital. For reinsurance after an injury, if you decide to leave your baby at home, exclude his physical and mental stress: forbid reading, watching TV or playing on the computer. An exception is quiet classical music. If any of the complications described below occur, show your baby to a pediatrician.

Anxiety symptoms after a blow to the frontal part of the skull

After hitting the forehead or falling face down, the crumbs may experience the following symptoms, indicating dangerous complications:

  • depression (dent) on the forehead instead of the usual bump;
  • the bump is abnormally large;
  • vomiting and nausea;
  • dizziness, fainting;
  • uncontrollable crying, hysterics;
  • hard breath;
  • blanching of the skin of the face;
  • cyanosis of the nasolabial triangle;
  • an increase in pupils, the appearance of strabismus;
  • lethargy and lethargy;
  • difficulty speaking;
  • discoordination, stiffness of movements;
  • bleeding ear or nose.

If a child has at least one of these symptoms after hitting his head, call an ambulance immediately!

Lay the baby on a sofa or bed on his back or on his side (for babies who are unable to roll over on their own in case of vomiting) and do not give any medication on their own: this can greatly complicate the diagnosis for doctors.

Anxiety symptoms after a blow to the back of the head

Mechanical occipital trauma can cause all of the above signs, as well as the following symptoms:

  • numbness of the limbs;
  • loss of memory;
  • double image in the eyes;
  • loss of consciousness;
  • severe headaches and dizziness.

According to statistics, it is the occipital skull injuries that most often lead to concussion, so they should be taken seriously.

Toddlers fall back during the start of independent movement, with light jolts and loss of balance, while adolescents fall during fights, while rollerblading or ordinary skates. Older children should be forced to wear a helmet over their heads to prevent injury.

Possible consequences

The head is one of the most important and vulnerable parts of our body, which is why skull injuries can have irreversible consequences that cause trouble for life. After hitting the head, the child should be watched. It is possible that he will become whiny, start to sleep poorly and absorb school material worse.

Consequences of trauma to the frontal part of the skull

Forehead injuries are of several types:

  • Open - damaged soft tissues and bones of the skull, the injury is accompanied by bleeding and loss of consciousness, pain shock. In these cases, immediate hospitalization is required.
  • Closed soft tissue and bone are intact. They are of varying severity and require different treatment tactics.
  1. Brain contusion is a serious condition, usually accompanied by prolonged loss of consciousness, nose or ear bleeding. Bruises appear around the eyes, speech is difficult. One of the facial nerves responsible for facial expressions may be affected.
  2. Concussion is a common condition that occurs after severe trauma to the skull. It is characterized by vomiting and constant nausea, dizziness, blueness of the lips and pallor of the skin on the face. In some cases, these symptoms may not be present, but an unusually poor, restless night's sleep of a fidget is a reason to see a doctor. In case of concussion, a weekly bed rest with a minimum of brain activity is put.
  3. Hematoma or lump, accompanied by soft tissue edema. The baby does not cry for long, soon after the pain is eliminated, he calms down and forgets about the incident.

Consequences of trauma to the occipital part of the skull

In addition to the above complications, blows to the back of the head can have the following consequences:

  • distraction, inattention;
  • discoordination of movements on one side (usually from the one where the blow fell);
  • memory impairment;
  • insomnia;
  • the appearance of persistent migraines.

How to avoid injury?

  1. Never leave your baby on a couch, bed without sides, or changing table - he could instantly fall over. Plant it better on the floor or in his crib.
  2. If you are sitting on the couch with your baby, place a couple of large pillows on the floor to cushion the fall in case of an oversight.
  3. In a stroller or car seat, always fasten the baby with seat belts.
  4. When the child begins to learn to walk, a dense carpet will come to your aid - the legs do not slip on it, and it is not so painful to fall.
  5. Purchase socks for a fidget with rubber pimples on the sole - this will make it easier for him to walk and prevent falls.
  6. Make your child wear a safety helmet when roller skating, skating, cycling or scooter.
  7. Make your apartment as safe as possible: buy rubber pads for sharp corners of furniture.

Children are curious and restless, and therefore no one succeeds in completely avoiding injuries, falls and bruises. In the process of learning about the world, babies fall quite often. But if a fall on the bottom or back does not cause panic attacks in the parents, then the situation changes dramatically if the child hits his head. The authoritative pediatrician, author of numerous books and articles on children's health, Yevgeny Komarovsky, talks about how dangerous such falls are and when you need to start worrying.


Features of pediatric physiology

The head of a small child is designed in such a way that it is relatively large in comparison with the rest of the body, so babies most often, losing their balance, fall on the head. But there is also a positive: the child's brain is reliably protected from injury in a fall. If a small child fell off the couch upside down, then his parents received the greatest trauma (of a psychological nature), and not himself. The bones of the infant's skull are very soft, and the “fontanelle” and dynamic “seams” between the bones of the skull provide them with mobility. The larger the fontanelle, says Yevgeny Komarovsky, the less likely it is to get injured when falling upside down. In addition, nature has come up with another shock-absorbing mechanism - a large amount of cerebrospinal fluid.


If a child at 6-7 months, when he becomes more mobile, turned over unsuccessfully and fell off the sofa or changing table, do not immediately panic. The kid, of course, will scream heart-rendingly. But parents should understand that he cries not from terrible pain, but more from fear caused by a sharp movement in space. If the baby smiles, walks around and leads his usual way of life in half an hour, nothing in his behavior has changed, then there are no reasons for alarm, medical examinations, Komarovsky claims.

Most often, children under one year old begin to beat their heads when they master the first steps. This usually happens after 8-9 months. That is why it is important that the baby first learns to crawl, and only then to stand and walk.


Of course, a child who bangs his head requires more careful attention from the parent. It is advisable to provide the baby with peace, not to let him run a lot, play active games, and shout loudly. The first day will show if the baby has an injury ... To do this, parents need to know the symptoms of head injuries like twice two.

Traumatic brain injury

It does not matter the age and gender of the child, the height from which he fell head down, the size of the bruise or bump on the forehead, as well as the presence or absence of abrasions and blood. All mums and dads should know that in all situations involving a head injury, a child needs qualified medical care.

The presence of an injury can be suspected if the child has a clouding of consciousness, loss of consciousness of any duration and frequency. Observation is very important, as parents who know the peculiarities of their child's behavior will be able to notice changes in their behavior in time. Any inappropriate changes may indicate a possible head injury.


If a child stops falling asleep normally, or, conversely, sleeps unusually long, he has a headache, and it does not go away even an hour and a half after falling, you should seek qualified medical help.

Vomiting is a common symptom of head injury, especially if it is repeated. The child may become shaky and unsure of gait, dizziness, convulsions may be observed, impaired coordination of movements, weakness in the arms, legs, inability to move one or two paired limbs at once. In all these cases, you should definitely call an "ambulance".

Discharge from the nose and ears, whether bloody, bloody or transparent and colorless, is a definite reason to assume an injury.

Also, symptoms of trauma can be various disorders of the functioning of the sensory organs.(hearing loss, visual impairment, complete, or maybe partial lack of response to tactile contact). The child may begin to complain that he is cold or hot. Evgeny Komarovsky advises paying attention to each of these symptoms.

Concussion

This is a fairly simple traumatic brain injury, in which a child may lose consciousness, but such a loss will be of a short-term nature (no more than 5 minutes), nausea and dizziness are possible. The brain is not damaged, but a concussion temporarily disrupts some of the functions of brain cells. Dr. Komarovsky claims that this is the easiest consequence of falling on the head, because after a couple of days the brain functions return to normal and the child's condition returns to normal.


Brain contusion

This is an injury in which the membranes of the brain are directly damaged, as well as its deeper structures with the formation of a hematoma and the occurrence of edema. How long the loss of consciousness lasts affects the extent of the injury, and it can be mild, moderate or severe. In the first degree, the symptoms are similar to a concussion, only the child's unconsciousness can last more than 5 minutes. The average severity of the injury is characterized by the duration of fainting from 10-15 minutes to an hour or a little more. In a severe form, consciousness may be absent for several hours or several weeks.


Compression of the brain

This is an extremely dangerous condition when, as a result of a head injury, compression occurs inside the skull. With such a pathology, vomiting occurs, which is protracted and repeated. The periods of loss of consciousness are replaced by the so-called "light" periods, when the child behaves normally, showing no signs of a brain disorder. Such periods can last up to 48 hours.

First aid

If the child fell, hit his head and there was a dissection of the skin or hair, while the child did not lose consciousness. and in a day there is no sign of injury, there is no need to take him to the doctor, says Yevgeny Komarovsky. It is enough to treat the wound with an antiseptic, apply ice to the site of the external injury. With an extensive wound (more than 7 mm), you should contact the emergency room, the child will be stitched several times, and this treatment can be considered complete.


If the wound is open (with an open craniocerebral injury), you should never press on it to stop bleeding. Mom should cover the wound around the edges with ice until the doctor arrives.

If the child falls, hits the back of his head or forehead on the floor, and the parents immediately or several hours later discovered signs of trauma in the child, the child should be put to bed and call the hospital. It is the doctors' task to determine the type of injury, its nature and severity.


If the head injury is severe, the child is unconscious, he has no breathing, the child must be given resuscitation measures before the arrival of the "ambulance". The child should be put on his back, fix his head, carry out cardiopulmonary resuscitation, after the baby comes to his senses, he should not be allowed to move, drink and talk until the doctors arrive.

Effects

With craniocerebral trauma, vital centers and parts of the brain are affected. If the child is not provided with timely medical care, the changes that are caused by bruising or compression can be irreversible. Severe injury can be fatal.

If a child hit his head while away from his parents, for example, in a health summer camp or boarding school, the parents, for objective reasons, cannot observe the behavior and condition of the child for 24 hours after the blow. In this situation, you should be sensitive to the fact that doctors and educators of the childcare institution are "reinsured" and immediately send your child to the hospital. According to Komarovsky, in 99% of cases, such hospitalization is required not in order to treat the child, but in order to have someone to watch over him.

If after some time after hitting the head or on the head, the child, having cried, calmed down and fell asleep, Komarovsky does not advise him to interfere - let him sleep.

However, it is very important for mom to remember that the child needs to be woken up every three hours and assess his condition, for example, by asking a simple question (how many fingers he sees, his name, etc.). This will help to understand if there are any changes in the child's consciousness.

If you cannot wake up or the answers are unintelligible, you should immediately call a doctor.


There is no specific prophylaxis for head injury. However, the task of the parents is to think through all the dangerous situations as best as possible and, as far as possible, do everything possible to protect the baby.

From 8 months onwards, the child should not be left alone in the room while he is awake, unless he is in the arena. He can fall and hit at any moment.

Older children should be given a special helmet for a gift in the form of a bicycle, and a helmet and shields for arms and legs for roller skates. In the bathroom, be sure to place non-slip rugs on the floor and bottom of the bathtub.

For information on when a fall is really dangerous and how to provide emergency assistance, see the program of Dr. Komarovsky.

The energy of babies contributes not only to the knowledge of the world, but also to getting all sorts of injuries. In crumbs 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 objects (for example, furniture with sharp corners) and try to remove them.

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

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

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

However, a strong blow can provoke a head injury. The open trauma is obvious: there is a wound on the head and obvious damage to the bones. It is treated surgically in combination with medication.

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

Closed craniocerebral injuries vary in severity:

  1. With a contusion of the brain, loss of consciousness usually occurs, breathing is impaired. There may be ear or nosebleeds, dark circles around the eyes, speech problems, and impaired facial expressions due to damage to the facial nerve. For the treatment of a slight injury, a course of drugs is prescribed, and only a surgeon can eliminate the consequences of a strong one.
  2. Concussion from stroke is diagnosed frequently by doctors and is usually treated with medication without further complications. With a concussion, the child may spend several minutes unconscious, and then experience nausea, vomiting, and headache. If the doctor has prescribed medications and prescribed home bed rest, but the patient has stable restless sleep or other alarming signs, it will be useful to call a pediatrician at home.
  3. A skull fracture can be suspected by bloody discharge from the ears and nostrils. It is worth urgently going to the hospital for an X-ray. 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 may cause visual impairment. The occipital lobe of the brain is responsible for the functioning of the organs of vision. Moreover, the consequences may not affect immediately, but after some time. Therefore, even in the absence of complaints from the victim, it will be wiser to show a specialist as soon as possible who knows what to do if the child hits the back of the head.

A rare but extremely unpleasant complication occurs when the child hits the back of the head on the left side. Sometimes the victims develop disturbances in the perception of the surrounding space on the left, they begin to forget everything, do not sleep well, suffer from headaches. Similar phenomena can be observed with damage to the occiput 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 to do for mom when the baby falls

  1. To pity and calm the baby after falling, and then examine it from all sides, starting from the head, for scratches, bruises, bleeding wounds on the forehead and on the back of the head.
  2. Calm down yourself and assess whether the fall was really serious. If the baby slid off the couch onto the carpet and bumped, then he cries more from fright and gets off with a bruise. But if he fell out of a high carriage and hit his head on the asphalt, mom should worry.
  3. The grown up kid is able to tell about what happened. You should ask him if he has a headache or not, if there is any cloudiness in his eyes. The pupils should not be narrowed or dilated.
  4. Measure the pulse and check the data with the age norm (in newborns it reaches 130-140 beats per minute, then it becomes less frequent as they grow older). Deviations from the norm should be alarming.
  5. Eliminate noisy entertainment and visual stress, but do not let sleep. During sleep, it will be more difficult to diagnose a concussion, if any.
  6. It must be borne in mind that if, after hitting, the child 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 applied. And if the child has filled a bump, then cooling compresses are applied to it for 3 minutes to avoid edema. In case of severe bleeding that could not be stopped in a quarter of an hour, as well as when the above symptoms appear, it is worth calling a doctor.
  8. Schedule a visit to the clinic in the near future. It is necessary to show the child who hit his head to a pediatrician to assess the general condition, an ophthalmologist to exclude disturbances in the functioning of the organs of vision after a stroke, and a neurosurgeon to receive a referral for a brain examination.

Warning signs for which you cannot stay at home

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

Calling an ambulance should be prompt 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 discoloration or pallor of the skin;
  • darkened skin under the eyes and behind the ears;
  • deterioration in coordination of movements, twitching, numbness of the limbs;
  • change in the size of the pupils, strabismus;
  • lethargy, drowsiness, change in the mode and nature of sleep, tearfulness;
  • lack of appetite;
  • the child has a bump that is too swollen or a cavity appears instead of a bump.

While waiting for the doctor's arrival, 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 no liquid gets into the respiratory tract. Pain medications taken before the arrival of the doctor may interfere with the assessment of the baby's condition.

If the child fell on his back and hit, then there is a possibility of spinal injury, you need to handle him very carefully in order to avoid additional displacement of the vertebrae.

What to expect upon admission to the hospital

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

Probably, the baby will be sent for a computed tomography of the brain to exclude hemorrhages and fractures.
Patients up to one and a half years old are examined through a not yet closed fontanelle.

How to protect your child's head from blows

With a baby, you should always be on the lookout. This even applies to a newborn who, it would seem, cannot even turn on his side yet. After all, it is the absence of a mother that can induce the baby to learn coups 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 be always supervised or in a safe area - in the arena.

It is unwise to neglect the seat belts in the wheelchair. Although the baby is not yet able to get out of it, nothing can guarantee that the stroller will not roll over when it hits an unevenness. The belts will keep the little passenger from falling onto the road. It is not for nothing that belts are provided on highchairs for feeding, because a fall from such a height to the floor or tiles can result in injury.

When the baby begins to master the space of the house and often bump, you need to look at the surrounding objects from the height of his growth and secure each sharp corner with silicone pads. For children learning to walk, there are special socks and tights with non-slip soles.

Toddlers often stumble and bump when going down the stairs, so you shouldn't let go of the baby's pen from your hand. While climbing the steps, you also need to hold the hand or insure the little one from behind, as there is a danger of falling onto your back.

A lot of injuries happen in the playground. It is dangerous to play next to older children, it is better to distract and take away your baby. If you can't leave, then the mother should be near the child. You should be especially vigilant near swings, carousels and other movable structures.

Children who have shown a desire to master rollers or a balance bike should immediately be taught to wear a helmet. The young athlete should also be taught how to fall properly.

Parents should know what to do if the child does hit his head. And your children need to patiently explain how important it is not to hit. Babies just need to be protected, and older children should be taught household safety rules.

As soon as the baby begins to learn to roll over, rise and crawl, he needs an eye and an eye - a little researcher in an instant can roll out of bed or sofa and get hurt. It is good if he gets off with only fright, but, unfortunately, more dangerous situations happen. For example, if the baby falls out of bed, the consequences for the child may not be very happy if he hits his forehead or the back of his head. The consequences of such a fall are different - from hematoma and abrasion to traumatic brain injury. What should parents do in this case? When to call an ambulance and when not?

If a baby fell off the couch - what to do?

If the baby accidentally rolled off the sofa and hit the floor with the back of his head, then his first reaction is quite natural - he starts crying loudly and uncontrollably. The reason for this is fear and pain. What should parents do?

1. Calm yourself down.

2. Take the baby in your arms and try to calm him down (the best way is to give the breast, wiggle the baby).

3. When the baby calms down, examine the impact site.

4. If blood oozes, use hydrogen peroxide.

If you see redness on the back of the head or an abrasion, you can help the baby with a cooling compress. Just apply a handkerchief or bandage soaked in water to the back of your head. Further actions of the mother will depend on the behavior of the baby.

What symptoms should alert parents?

If a baby falls and bumps his head, look for the following symptoms. Their manifestation indicates the seriousness of the injury and the need to urgently consult a doctor or call an ambulance.

1. Crying does not stop for a long time.
2. The child shows apathy, does not play.
3. Wandering gaze, rolling eyes.
4. Pupils are different sizes or both are dilated.
5. The kid is too pale.
6. Vomiting has begun.
7. There is discharge from the ears or nose.
8. The child is annoyed by loud noises and touches.
9. Dark spots, hematomas appeared under the eyes.
10. Convulsions.

If a baby has fallen with the back of his head at the age of one year, other signs will help to navigate the severity of the injury:

1. The child walks uncertainly, he is carried to the sides, he himself is not able to change the position of the body, and until that moment everything was not so.

2. Slurred speech, inability to express a thought (if the baby already knows how to talk).

If you notice these alarming symptoms or at least one of them, you need to urgently call an ambulance or take your baby to the hospital for examination. It is important to understand that timely admission to the hospital will help prevent the dangerous consequences of a stroke. And what they are, you will find out about it right now.

The consequences of hitting the head in a child after a fall

A blow to the back of the head usually does not have serious consequences if the child is hit by falling from a small height (sofa, bed) onto a soft covering - a pile carpet or a blanket laid on the floor. Usually, in such cases, a small swelling (bump), abrasion or redness appears at the site of the injury. The crying of a child is rather a reaction to fear and minor pain. Such an injury, soft tissue contusion, cannot threaten the health and life of the child.

However, you should still pay attention to the further behavior of the crumbs. If you have the slightest doubt about its adequacy, immediately arrange a visit to the doctor. "Popularly about health" insists - children under 6 months should be shown to a pediatrician after a fall in any case, even if you do not notice any deviations in his behavior. This requirement is due to the fact that in infants the bones of the head are too soft and mobile. Any fall and blow can have unpleasant consequences.

If you fall off the couch, the consequences can be more serious. Traumatic brain injury may occur. Any damage to the brain can be judged by the symptoms listed above, but the doctor will more accurately determine the degree of damage.

Traumatic brain injury is of two types - open and closed. In the first case, the place has damage to the integrity of the skin and bones of the skull. In the second, it is only about damage to the brain inside, while the integrity of the skin and bones is not broken.

What are the most dangerous consequences of a blow to the back of the head?

After hitting a child with the back of the head, he could get the following types of brain injuries:

1. Concussion.

3. Compression of the brain.

A concussion in a child is a rather serious injury, but at least the structure of the brain substance is not disturbed. A more serious condition is observed with brain contusion. It is characterized by the occurrence of one or more foci of brain damage and is manifested by prolonged loss of consciousness, impaired respiration and heart rhythm. If you do not provide assistance to the baby in a timely manner, serious health problems in the future or even death are possible.

Compression of the brain is an emergency condition, due to which a child can die in a short time. In this case, a certain area of ​​the brain is compressed by the damaged bones of the skull. In this state, fluid may leak from the ears, nose, hematomas under the eyes, there are clearly visible signs of impaired pulse, breathing, complete absence of reactions to stimuli.

If your baby has fallen, the consequences can be unfavorable, so you cannot take it lightly. At the slightest sign of brain injury, call an ambulance immediately to rescue your baby.


Although moms want to protect their children from injury, this is not always possible. Kids are active and mobile, they cannot sit still, so a bump on a child's forehead is not uncommon. Parents should understand how to act in such a situation, what to look for, which ointment will speed up the absorption.

Cold compress - first aid for impacts

First aid if a child bumps his forehead

The most commonly noticeable bulge on the head is a hematoma that appears after a blow. A large number of small vessels are located on the forehead. When they burst, the soft tissues are soaked in blood, so they begin to bulge out. Most often, such injuries do without consequences, because the bone is very strong here. It is more dangerous if the toddler hit the back of the head or temple.

If the child has fallen, having flown, for example, into an acute angle, and a hematoma has formed on the forehead, the parents should remain cool. Their task is to take urgent action. If there is no wound, then first aid after such a fall is to apply a cold one to the site of the injury. It can be a simple metal spoon. Better yet, remove ice or something from frozen food from the freezer. Such a compress should be done carefully, after wrapping it with a towel or napkin. Under the influence of low temperature, the vessels will narrow, and the swelling will not be large.

No need to pour cold water on the baby's head. This will do nothing, except that it will cause hypothermia, which can cause the baby to catch a cold. A cold object must be pressed tightly to the damaged area on the head and kept for a quarter of an hour.

In the event that a child's skin has a bleeding abrasion, it should be treated with an antiseptic. This will help prevent infection. If the wound is deep, then it is better to go to the emergency room.

What to do to make the bump go faster?

But it happens that it was not possible to apply ice in time, and just a few minutes after the impact, a huge bump formed on the forehead. If you do nothing, then it will take a very long time, perhaps several weeks. Therefore, it is worth using an ointment that will help the swelling quickly dissolve. In a home first aid kit, one must be present. It can be Troxevasin, Lyoton, Rescuer, Ambulance, Traumeel or other drugs.

After the child has filled a bump on his head, cold is first applied, and then ointment is applied. On the bruised place, a little means is caught from the tube and rubbed in with light movements. This should be done carefully so as not to cause pain. The procedure is carried out two or three times a day, the duration of the course should not be more than five days.

If a bump jumped out on your head, then you can turn to folk recipes. A bodyworm helps from bruises on the forehead. Lotions are made from it to remove swelling. Cabbage leaves, burdock and plantain have absorbing properties. They are crushed and wrapped in a bandage before being applied to the affected area.

Alarming symptoms

Usually, a bump that a child has filled goes away quickly if you use an ointment, and without consequences. But sometimes the blow from the fall is too strong. Therefore, the baby's well-being must be closely monitored. If suspicious symptoms appear, you should immediately go to the hospital. These include the following signs:

  • pain that does not get better;
  • weakness, crumbs sleepy;
  • there is a dent on the forehead, not a bulge;
  • the child is sick, vomits;
  • bleeding from the nose or ears;
  • the baby loses consciousness, even if for a short time;
  • squint appeared, pupils became unequal in size;
  • the child looks pale, the nasolabial triangle turns blue;
  • the hematoma does not go away for a long time, even if the ointment was used.

Some of these signs are immediately visible, while others may appear later. In this case, a concussion cannot be ruled out. The doctor will be able to determine this more accurately using an ultrasound or X-ray. He will give advice on what to do next. If the hematoma is not reported for a long time, then a puncture may be required to remove the contents.

What other reasons might a bump appear?

A bump on a child's forehead is not always formed after a blow. There are other reasons, for example, the structural features of the skull, often hereditary. There is no cause for concern. No ointment will help you get rid of the bulge in a short time, but with age, it will become almost invisible.

Sometimes a bump on the forehead is due to a blockage of the sebaceous glands. Such a wen can change appearance, increase in size. It happens that this leads to suppuration. This problem does not need to be solved on your own, as the risk of infection is high. A specialist will be able to get rid of the build-up with the help of cryodestruction. During this procedure, the neoplasm is destroyed by cold. In the future, it will be necessary to monitor the cleansing of the child's skin in order to prevent relapse.

Fibroma may also appear on the head. This is a benign formation, and if it is small, then it is not touched. The lump may turn out to be an abscess. In such a situation, the pediatrician must prescribe treatment. Usually it includes antibiotics and restorative therapy, taking vitamins. Sometimes you cannot do without surgical intervention. In rare cases, it turns out that a lump on the forehead is not an ordinary hematoma, but a more dangerous disease - hemangioma or melanoma. The effectiveness of treatment depends on how early it was started.

Shocks and injuries in children are inevitable, including on the head, because kids are actively learning about the world. Parents should be prepared for such situations, so as not to fall into a panic state, and the first aid kit should have the necessary medications. Including antiseptic and ointment, which promotes resorption of hematomas.