If the child hit his head. The child fell and hit his head - what to do? Typical cases of traumatic brain injury in infants

unnecessarily active kids become a headache for parents. It is difficult to keep an eye on the baby, he constantly climbs somewhere and studies tirelessly the world. Such activity in some cases leads to trouble. For example, baby will fall and get hurt. Should loved ones be concerned? Doctor Komarovsky will help you figure it out.

Don't panic

First of all, Komarovsky advises parents not to panic. A well-known doctor emphasizes: cases of falling usually do not lead to dangerous consequences. For the most part, only parents suffer, or rather, their nervous system. When a child falls, the body reliably protects itself from serious injury. Headbutting will not necessarily cause damage. Protect against defects

"Fannels" of the skull, protecting against sharp fluctuations in pressure in the head;
large volumes of cerebrospinal fluid that can absorb shocks;
softness of the bones, due to which there is little danger of fracture, and so on.

But attention to such situations will not be superfluous. A child hitting his head needs special control. Komarovsky emphasizes that parents should watch for warning signs. If you find them, you will have to consult a doctor as soon as possible. Which symptomatic manifestations especially important?

Dangerous Consequences

There is a huge number negative consequences"landing" the child not on his feet, but on his head. They appear extremely rarely, so parents should not fall into hysterics. Komarovsky names the following symptoms, which should make you alert.

Disturbances of consciousness. If the child has ceased to adequately respond to what is happening, the help of a specialist is required.
Difficulties with speech. This is important for children who have already begun to speak normally.
Drowsiness and unusual for the baby indifference to the environment.
Severe headaches that are not localized specifically at the site of the bruise and last for several hours.
Repetitive vomiting. One bout of vomiting after falling and hitting the head is not bad symptom. A few attacks is already a big risk.
Difficulty with balance or control of limbs lasting more than an hour.
Any discharge from the nose or ears, including blood.
Blue spots under the eyes against the background of blanching of the skin of the face.

Having noticed the symptoms, it is impossible to delay calling an ambulance. Delay is fatal.

How to help

The first priority for parents is to keep calm. The more coolly they can behave, the higher the likelihood of a favorable outcome. What to do after the crumbs fall on the head? Here, again, Komarovsky gives excellent recommendations.

The described symptoms indicate very serious damage. Therefore, it is necessary to immediately call a doctor, without delay. Prior to arrival, the injured child should be provided with calm conditions. Any stress factors are excluded. It is better to put the child on its side. The resulting vomiting will begin to depart unhindered.
If there are no obvious injuries, it is enough to put on the area of the head where the blow fell, moistened with cold water rag. Then pain decrease. Such an effect will stop bleeding and prevent severe swelling from developing.
Are there any visible effects of the impact? Still needed next day monitor the child's condition. He needs peace and constant control. To make sure that there are no serious injuries, you should check whether the child is able to adequately answer questions. It can also be done according to the coordination of the baby. There should be no dizziness and repeated falls.

The occurrence of noticeable disorders during the first day after falling on the head Komarovsky considers an important diagnostic criterion. A blow does not necessarily result in a concussion. Possible brain injury or spinal injury. And these effects are not easy to see. If you suspect a serious injury, you need to see a doctor as soon as possible. He will make sure that the "flight" does not affect the development of the baby.

It is almost impossible to find a child who has not fallen. As soon as the baby begins to try to walk, his body, although not completely, is still covered with bruises, abrasions, scratches ... Nature took care of children's body and provided maximum head protection from injury. Most falls do not cause significant harm to the health of the fidget. But there are injuries that are life-threatening for the baby and have serious consequences.

Why Do Children Hit Their Heads Most Often?

Pediatricians state that it is the head that leads in terms of the number of injuries received. Parents react more calmly when a baby injures an arm or leg. But most bruises go to the head.

These statistics have their explanations. So, in children under 5 years of age, the head is relatively heavy and has big sizes compared to other parts of the body. Such physiological feature young children affects the coordination of their movements. Just a slight push is enough for the baby to lose balance and fall headfirst.

Physiological features of the child's brain

The head of a child has a slightly different structure than that of an adult. The bones of the baby's skull are soft and flexible. This means that in a collision with a hard surface, it is difficult to break the skull. During the impact, the elastic bones shift and return to their original position.

Another one important feature the child's brain - its immaturity and high content of cerebrospinal fluid. A child's head is much easier to withstand blows.

Doctors rarely diagnose a traumatic brain injury or when a child has fallen and hit his head. Komarovsky talks a lot about trauma and teaches parents to recognize dangerous symptoms. Famous pediatrician gives valuable recommendations, tells how to properly provide first aid for various head injuries.

Examination of the child

If the child fell and hit his head, Komarovsky advises not to panic and watch the baby for the next 24 hours. Parents should ensure that the child is calm and not allow active games. If the first hours after the fall, the little one does not complain about anything and feels good, there is no reason to worry and consult a doctor.

The reaction of the baby to the received blow testifies a lot. With complex head injuries that are accompanied by bleeding or concussion, the child may suddenly become ill, or may not behave as usual. If, after a fall, the baby calmly stood up and smiles, damage to the head and internal organs unlikely.

In any case, if the child fell and hit his head, Komarovsky recommends determining the presence of dangerous symptoms. All parents should know them in order to consult a doctor in time and prevent the development of complications and pathologies.

anxiety symptoms

Physicians identify a number serious signs which may occur if the child has fallen and hit his head. Komarovsky compiled a list of such symptoms:

Disturbance of consciousness of any intensity and duration.
Inappropriate behaviour.
Speech disorder.
Increased sleepiness.
Severe headaches that appear in the first hours after the fall and persist for a long period of time.
Seizures.
Repeated bouts of vomiting.
Balance imbalance.
Vertigo.
Different sizes of pupils.
Weakness of arms and legs, inability to move them.
Dark circles under the eyes.
Bleeding or discharge of streaked fluid or from the nose.
Sensory disturbances.

These symptoms may appear in children different ages. The presence of at least one indicates the need for immediate appeal for medical care.

Fall off the couch

Young parents often underestimate the capabilities of the baby. They allow themselves to leave the baby on the couch unattended. Already from 4 months the child is actively moving and trying to roll over. At the same time, the baby gradually begins to crawl. At this age, the baby needs an eye and an eye if the parents want to protect the child from injuries and bruises.

Probably, in every family there was a case that, at the age of, say, 6 months, he hit his head. Komarovsky believes that such an event is almost inevitable. All children under 1 year of age often fall out of bed. Toddlers still cannot assess the danger of their actions and roll to the floor in a split second. Even a very attentive mother may not see the fidgety baby, turning away for a bottle.

In children of the first year of life, the brain and central nervous system are actively developing, and the bones of the skull are still not strong enough and loosely connected. This increases the risk of injury from a fall, resulting in a traumatic brain injury. Therefore, it is important not to let you fall and hit your head. Komarovsky warns of sad consequences. The baby can get a concussion and even an open head injury.

What to do if the baby fell off the couch

If the child fell off the couch and hit his head, Komarovsky recommends that you immediately take the baby in your arms to calm him down. According to the doctor, in most cases there is no cause for concern. The height of the sofas is about 50 cm or even less. A fall from such a height cannot significantly damage the brain. Usually a child can only be frightened and therefore cry.

Once the baby has calmed down, you should examine it for abrasions, bumps and wounds on the head. It is important to observe his reactions and behavior.

If the child fell off the couch and hit his head, Komarovsky recommends, of course, in the presence of suspicious signs, immediately consult a doctor. What are these signs?

Symptoms of serious injury to infants

The following symptoms indicate that the baby has received a dangerous injury:

Loss of consciousness for a short long time immediately after the fall or some time later.
The formation of edema at the site of impact, which increases intensively.
The presence of bloody discharge from the nose and ears.
Abnormal behavior of the baby, which may signal headaches.
Vomit.
Constant crying.
Violations of coordination of movements.

A well-known doctor who described in detail the manifestations when a child fell and hit his head is Komarovsky. Dangerous Consequences such a blow with untimely medical intervention threatens the health of the baby.

Tactics for the treatment of TBI in infants

At the slightest suspicion of a traumatic brain injury, the baby should be hospitalized for examination by neurosurgeons and neuropathologists. To confirm the diagnosis, the following tests and studies are carried out:

Ultrasound of the brain.
Computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging.
Electroencephalogram.

When the diagnosis is confirmed, the baby is prescribed appropriate medications, physiotherapy and a special regimen. Properly formulated therapy helps to heal the injury with minimal consequences.

First aid before the arrival of doctors

Most frequently asked question, which all young parents ask: "What to do? The child fell and hit his head." Komarovsky recommends examining the baby and doing the following:

If there is a slight bruise, it is enough to apply ice or a cold object to the swelling site. This will reduce swelling.
Regardless of the strength of the blow, the baby must be kept calm. If the injury is severe, it is important to keep the child awake until the ambulance arrives. Following this recommendation will also prevent you from missing other symptoms.
Put the child on the bed in such a position that the spine and head are at the same level.
If there is vomiting, the baby should be laid on its side so that the discharge easily leaves and does not prevent the victim from breathing normally.

These are the main recommendations that will help you navigate the situation and tell you what to do if the child falls and hits his head. Komarovsky, as a pediatrician, forbids taking other actions. During the examination, the doctor will be able to determine the severity of the blow and draw a conclusion about the need for hospitalization.

Possible consequences

The most common and easiest injury is soft tissue contusion. In this case, the brain is not damaged. After a blow, a bump or abrasion may form on the scalp.

With a traumatic brain injury, the consequences can be different. In mild cases, the child recovers completely. If the injury is severe, important brain functions may be impaired.

With severe brain damage, the prognosis for the development of disorders is unpredictable. The completeness of recovery depends on the tactics of treatment, the medications used, compliance with the doctor's recommendations, the severity of the injury, the gender and age of the baby, and the state of his health.

One of the most famous pediatricians who urges parents to respond quickly when a child falls and hits his head is Komarovsky. The consequences of this type of injury can be life-threatening. Timely provision of medical care can prevent complications.

How to protect your child from falling

If at 3 months the child fell and hit his head, Komarovsky in this case blames the parents. Many injuries could have been avoided if the baby was completely safe. Babies most often fall off changing tables. Therefore, it is better to swaddle the baby and spend hygiene procedures on the sofa or use a table with high sides. At the same time, one of the adults must be near the child.

In addition, near the surface on which the baby will lie, you can lay a carpet. It softens a possible fall. Some parents even put pillows or blankets on the floor.

Do not leave your baby alone on or on the couch. If there is a need to leave the room for a few seconds, it is better to put the child in his crib or stroller.
Being near the baby, you should hold it with your hand. Often, babies fall to the floor in the presence of their mother.
Try not to leave the baby alone in the room for a long time. half year old baby may already try to sit up and try to get out of the crib.

Increased attention from parents is also required during walks. A small and curious fidget can easily fall out of the cradle. The desire of the baby to sit is a signal that it is time to transplant him into stroller. Safety straps allow you to securely fasten active child and thus secure it from falling to the ground.

Special modern devices can protect the baby from head injuries when moving around the apartment - overlays for sharp corners, rubberized rugs. It is very important that the crumbs' indoor shoes have non-slip sole. For children under one year old, socks with “brakes” are produced that reduce slipping.

If the baby fell off the swing

Another dangerous place where young children are often injured is playground. A lot of children accumulate on the hill, who can not only fall themselves, but also push each other. Even in kindergarten It happens that the child fell from the swing and hit his head. Komarovsky considers playgrounds a place heightened danger requiring constant supervision of children.

To prevent serious injuries, pediatricians advise parents of preschoolers to always be close to the child on the playground and support the baby with his hands when he climbs high structures. When the child has already learned to ride on his own, one of the adults should still be watching him and be at a distance of several meters. So it will be possible to quickly respond to the desire of the baby to make a dangerous movement, the results of which can be disastrous.

Falls on playgrounds are more dangerous. All swings and slides are made of metal, which has an increased risk of injury. And if you take into account the concrete surface of the site, then you should not be surprised by the fact that the risk of severe damage to the head is quite high.

The energy of kids contributes not only to the knowledge of the world, but also to obtaining different kind injuries. In crumbs with uncoordinated movements, for the most part, the head suffers. When preparing for the arrival of a new family member, it is worth evaluating home environment in terms of the presence of traumatic objects (for example, furniture with sharp corners) and try to remove them.

But that doesn't make it safe either. young researcher completely, because he can fall even on a flat floor, learning to walk. In the event that a child hits his head, you should quickly, without panicking, assess the severity of the injury. It depends on the strength and place of the blow whether it will be just a bump or whether it is worth rushing to the hospital.

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

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

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

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

Closed craniocerebral injuries vary in severity:

When a brain injury usually occurs loss of consciousness, breathing is disturbed. There may be ear or nose bleed, dark circles around the eyes, speech problems, facial expression disorders due to damage to the facial nerve. For the treatment of a mild bruise, a course of drugs is prescribed, and only a surgeon can eliminate the consequences of a strong one.
A concussion from a blow is often diagnosed by doctors and usually cured. in a medical way without further complications. With a concussion, a child may be unconscious for several minutes, and then experience nausea, vomiting, and a headache. If the doctor prescribed medication and prescribed home bed rest, but the patient is stable restless sleep or other warning signs, it will be useful to call a pediatrician at home.
A skull fracture is suspected spotting from the ears and nostrils. It is urgent to go to the hospital to do an x-ray. Treatment in this case involves surgical intervention followed by medication.

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

A blow to the back of the head can lead to 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 would be wiser to quickly show a specialist who knows what to do if the child hits the back of the head.

A rare, but extremely unpleasant complication occurs if the child hits the back of the head on the left side. Sometimes victims have 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 with damage to the occiput on the right.

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

What to do when a mother falls

Pity and calm the baby after the fall, and then examine it from all sides, starting with the head, for scratches, bruises, bleeding wounds on the forehead and on the back of the head.
Calm down yourself and assess whether the fall was really serious. If the baby slid off the sofa 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 stroller and hit his head on the asphalt, mom should worry.
A grown child is able to talk about what happened. You should ask him if his head hurts or not, if there is clouding in the eyes. Pupils should not be constricted or dilated.
Measure the pulse and check the data with age norm(in newborns it reaches 130-140 beats per minute, then as they grow older it becomes less frequent). Deviations from the norm should alert.
Eliminate noisy entertainment and visual stress, but do not let sleep. During sleep, it will be more difficult to diagnose a concussion, if one is present.
It must be borne in mind that if, after hitting, the child does not cry for several minutes, then most likely he lost consciousness.
Process damaged skin. Small abrasions are disinfected with hydrogen peroxide, after which wound healing ointments are applied. And if the child has stuffed a lump, then cooling compresses are applied to it for 3 minutes to avoid swelling. In case of severe bleeding that could not be stopped in a quarter of an hour, as well as the appearance of the above symptoms, it is worth calling a doctor.
Schedule a visit to the clinic soon. It is necessary to show a child who hit his head to a pediatrician to assess the general condition, to an ophthalmologist to rule out visual disturbances after a blow, and to a neurosurgeon to get a referral for a brain examination.

Warning signs to avoid staying at home

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

call to ambulance should be prompt if any of the following symptoms occur:

loss of consciousness;
deviation of the pulse 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, 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 has a hollow instead of a bump.

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 Airways no liquid entered. Pain medications taken before the doctor arrives can 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 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 inform about further actions.

It is likely that the baby will be sent to computed tomography brain to exclude hemorrhages, fractures.
Patients up to one and a half years old are examined through a fontanel that has not yet been closed.

How to protect your child's head from blows

With a baby, you should always be on the lookout. This applies even 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 encourage a 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 safe zone- in the arena.

It is unwise to neglect the seat belts in a wheelchair. Although the baby is not yet able to get out of it, nothing can guarantee that the stroller will not turn over when it hits a bump. Straps will keep the little passenger from falling onto the road. It is not in vain that belts are also provided 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 hits, you need to look at the surrounding objects from the height of his height and secure silicone pads every sharp corner. For children learning to walk special socks and tights with non-slip soles.

Toddlers often stumble and bump when going down stairs, so you need to keep the child's hand in your hand. While climbing the stairs, you must also hold your hand or secure the little one from behind, as there is a danger of falling on your back.

A lot of 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 you can’t leave, then the mother should be next to the child. You need to be especially vigilant near swings, carousels and other moving structures.

Children who have shown a desire to learn roller skates or a balance bike should immediately be taught that it is imperative to wear a helmet. For a young athlete you should also explain how to fall correctly.

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

The nervous system of children develops gradually. At first, the child learns to hold the head, roll over, then begins to better manage with sweeping hand movements. At six months, the baby begins to sit down, crawls, and a little later, hesitantly rises to his feet.

Of course, this is a joyful moment for parents when their beloved baby masters his first steps. These steps most often end with a “squat” on the ass, and the baby does not want to take the initiative for a few more days, since the first fall caused him fear. When this moment is forgotten, the baby tries again, and everything works out great for him.

But the joy of parents is quickly replaced by fear for their child. After all, the steps are very uncertain, the baby strives to fall on the side, sit down or shifts his center of gravity so forward that it seems that he is about to fall and hit his forehead or nose.

Children are especially insecure when standing on soft surface. Therefore, often seeking medical help occurs after falling off the couch. In addition, from the moment you take the first steps, you will find out that there are corners in your house, of which there are a huge number. They are very dangerous, as they are at the level of your child's head, and more often than not, children hit their temples on the corner of one of the pieces of furniture.

Even small children pull on themselves all the things that they cannot see well, but which their palm reached out to. And it's not always soft Plush Toys. Toddlers pull together vases, laptops, lamps, stacks of books and directly “catch” them with their head, on which bumps and bruises form afterwards.

Due to poorly developed orientation in space, unimportant interaction of parts of their body and surrounding objects, children constantly stumble, cling to surrounding objects, their legs are “braided”, which undoubtedly causes falls to the floor.

The baby may fall off the changing table when it learns to roll over onto its tummy.

NEVER leave a baby unattended lying on a changing table, do not turn away from him even “for a second”, because it is at this moment that the child will roll over on his tummy and fall from a height of a little more than one meter. Given that the heaviest part of the baby is the head, it is with her that he hits first!

Features of the structure of the skull and brain of a child

in the first years of life in infants, the size of the head increases rapidly. This expresses the disproportion of growth;
any slight injury to the skin can cause serious damage, because the stratum corneum is poorly developed in the child;
a feature of the blood supply to the head is a richly developed venous network with many fistulas. About 18 - 20% of the blood output from the heart goes directly to the baby's head. These two factors are the risk of massive bleeding from scalp wounds;
due to the fragile attachment of a thin aponeurosis to the periosteum, extensive cephalohematomas may appear. In children older than 6 months, the risk is less;
the brain part of the skull in a child is smaller than the front. In adolescents and adults, on the contrary, a more extensive facial;
fontanelles are a feature of babies. They increase the "reserve space" with an increase in brain volume for different pathologies, especially if the child hit his temple. It contributes to a longer “light gap” with hemorrhages in a baby.
A sharp bulge or / and tension in the fontanel is a formidable sign! It is urgent to go to the clinic!;
the bones that make up the skull of the baby are thin, contain few mineral elements, but are rich in water. Due to this feature, linear or depressed fractures are observed, and not multi-comminuted, as in adults;
diploic veins, devoid of valves, can contribute to the rapid spread of infection from the wound into the cranial cavity;
the brain grows rapidly until the age of six, then growth slows down;
the baby's brain is better supplied with blood arterial blood, but the venous outflow is difficult due to the underdevelopment of the veins after the closure of the fontanelles;
Nerve fibers are unevenly covered with myelin. At first, motor (the child hones skills in walking, coordination of movements, manipulation of hands with objects), only then sensitive. Therefore, the pain is not felt so strongly;
the blood-brain barrier is an obstacle between the brain and infectious agents environment. In children, it is more permeable, so there is a high probability of exposure to toxic and infectious agents on the nervous system;
V early age in response to trauma, swelling and edema of the brain often occurs, which are dangerous with serious consequences and need to be supervised by a doctor.

What to do if the child fell and hit his forehead?

Raise the baby, examine the frontal area for open wounds, changes in the shape of the skull.
Hitting a sharp object, the baby can get gaping wounds in the forehead and profuse bleeding. IN this case it is worth calling emergency medical care and at the same time apply a pressure bandage or bandage the head with sterile bandages.
Before the arrival of medical help, calm down and do not panic. Record changes in the child's behavior, the approximate amount of blood loss, tell the doctor if there was vomiting.
No pills should be given on their own.
The child hit his forehead on the corner of the tabletop, and a “huge” bump came out? Most often, the name "bump" refers to a subcutaneous hematoma, which could appear when the baby hit his forehead hard and the vessel was damaged, but the skin remained intact. Under the skin, venous blood most often comes out and accumulates. Depending on the size of the hematoma and the well-being of the child, first aid will differ.

With a small hematoma and not disturbed general condition the child can be applied cold.

It can be meat or dumplings that are taken out of the freezer and applied to the baby's skin ONLY through a clean towel or dense fabric for a short time.

Usually around two three minutes followed by a break of five minutes.

A cold object can cause excessive cooling of the skin, and the child will get frostbite in addition to a hematoma!

You should immediately seek medical attention, If:

the hematoma is large, causes anxiety and crying of the child, the baby does not allow touching the damaged area;
the child, after a short crying and the appearance of a bump, quickly fell asleep, does not wake up when trying to wake him up.

Do not perform independent manipulations with the injured area, do not apply ointments and do not pierce, do not give painkillers and solutions.

In the first few hours after the child hit his forehead, he may be disturbed by dizziness, doubling of objects. Younger children will rub their eyes, try not to turn their heads.

Try not to disturb the baby during this period. It is advisable to do without games on the tablet and watching cartoons. It is necessary to ensure visual peace and make a cool compress on the child's forehead.

How to help if your child hit his nose?

If the nose bleeds after the blow, do not tilt the child's head back. Why? Because it is necessary to know how much blood the baby lost if the bleeding did not stop for a long time in order to provide adequate medical care and avoid adverse consequences.
Lay on a flat surface. So that the baby is not afraid of the sight of blood, you can shallowly insert a sterile gauze into the external nasal passage.
No need to try to put the gauze pad as deep as possible, so that later, without additional trauma to the mucosa, remove it. It is advisable not to use cotton wool or cotton pads, as you will have to “tear off” cotton pad, soaked in blood from the wall of the nose, and cotton wool villi can impair the regeneration (recovery) of the mucosa. If your child has a blood clotting disorder, contact medical institution. There medication will help stop the bleeding.
After the blood has stopped flowing and the child is ready for new exploits, do not let the baby overstrain, monitor the body temperature. No need to blow blood clots or rinse your nose, give the vessels time to recover. In the first two to three days after the child hit, thermal procedures are undesirable - a bathroom, a sauna, a bath.

What should parents do if the child hits the back of the head?

If the child hits the back of the head, do not panic.

The well-known pediatrician Komarosky E. O. draws attention to the fact that when a child falls and hits his head, parents suffer the most, because many falls are not as serious as they might seem at first. Especially if the baby quickly stopped crying, began to play and even smiles at you, there is no bump at the site of impact, the shape of the skull has not changed, the child has not vomited, and there was no blackout.

Assess the child's condition. If, hitting the back of the head, the baby lost consciousness, for a long time cannot calm down, his nose bleeds, he has stopped responding to you, to rattles or through a short time his body temperature has risen, it is necessary to seek medical help.
Urgently call an ambulance if you notice that a clear liquid flows from the nasal passages or ears, since this is most likely cerebrospinal fluid (cerebrospinal fluid).
Parents should provide first aid to their baby. For example, after falling from the couch, the child could get off with a slight fright and bruises, without bruises.

First of all, apply a cold compress, which is pre-wrapped in a cloth or cotton towel.

With small bleeding wounds, you should not smear them with a solution of iodine or "greenery", and you should not treat the wound itself with alcohol tinctures or vodka. Applying unconventional methods, you can apply chemical burn and the wound will take longer to heal with scarring.

It is worth treating the wound with hydrogen peroxide, and around (in the presence of skin contamination) wipe with a swab dipped in an aqueous solution of Chlorhexidine.

If vomiting starts, lay the baby on its side. So the vomit will not get into the bronchi, and the child will not choke. Call an ambulance immediately!

If a couple of days after your baby hit his head, moaning and shuddering appeared in a dream, the chin or hands are shaking before falling asleep and immediately after, it is worth showing pediatric neurologist and get tested.

Rule out spinal injury!

If the child hit his head when falling from the sofa, do not sharply lift him off the floor, since not only the head, but also the spinal table, especially in the cervical region, could be damaged during the impact. Pay attention to the movements in the arms and legs. With a holistic spinal column, without damage to the spinal cord, the baby commits active movements hands and feet, shows where it hurts, the fingers on the hands are actively shrinking and unclenching.

If, after a fall, the child’s arms or legs do not move, and when he tries to move them, he cries more, it is necessary to seek medical help to rule out fractures.

What should parents do if your child hits his temple?

After the baby has hit his temple, it is necessary to assess whether he hears normally. Pay attention to whether he reacts to sharp sounds, whether he hears rattles or whispered speech.
If you notice oddities in the child's behavior after the impact, expressed in a sharp emotional response to any irritation (for example, with a sharp sound or bright light, the baby begins to cry, run away to another room or hide; a previously sociable child does not understand well the speech addressed to him, requests or performs actions only after a visual image) it is necessary to consult an ENT doctor with the delivery of an audiogram.
If the child hit his head in the temple area on the corner and lost consciousness, immediately seek medical help. You will probably need neurosonoscopy if your baby is still infancy. Or an MRI of the brain if the child is younger school age. It is necessary to exclude fractures of the temporal bone, hemorrhages in the temporal region.

The temporal lobe is involved in the processing of information coming from the organs of hearing and vision, and is also responsible for understanding speech and emotional reactions.

What will happen if the dysfunction of the brain after traumatization is not treated?

Lag in the development of the child.
Speech difficulties.
Frequent headaches.
Vertigo.
Sleep disturbance.
epileptic seizures.
Hyperactive behavior at school.
Difficulty remembering new information.

Movement disorders (paresis or paralysis, if there was a hemorrhage after an injury)

The consequences of head injuries are quite different, and, unlike adults, children do not always have a deep injury worse than a superficial one. The consequences will depend on the area in which the injury is, whether it is combined with other injuries, how old the baby is, how quickly the parents sought medical help and whether they followed the doctor's instructions, on the state of the child's body at the time of injury or impact.

You know that all children are different, and injuries are also different. Therefore, after hitting the head, do not give children painkillers, as well as for sound sleep give them valerian or motherwort to drink. It could change the picture serious illness and make it difficult to help the child.

Today on the site the site will talk about such a sick topic in every sense as hitting a child with his head. Regardless of the age of the child and the experience of the mother, such situations invariably cause fear and anxiety. But are they always justified? Let's try to figure it out together.

Who fell?

You left your baby on the changing table despite the doctors' warnings, and he suddenly rolled off of it? This happens to almost all mothers, even the most prudent and cautious.

Don't worry if your month old baby hit his head, his skull is designed in such a way that the risk of serious injury is minimal. Most likely, both of you will get off with fright and tears.

An ungrown fontanelle, sufficiently soft bones and shock-absorbing fluid prevent concussion, cracks and fractures of the skull bones, as well as brain damage in most cases.

In more late age, especially when babies learn to walk, it is impossible to do without bruises, and it’s not worth it.

In the process of falling, the baby learns the capabilities of his body and learns to control it. As long as the fontanel is still open, actual damage is still unlikely. But abrasions and bruises become constant companions of the little discoverer.

However, if your child hits his head but looks normal, you should by no means ignore the incident. Watch him for several hours, as a delayed reaction of the body is possible. About dangerous symptoms read below.

School-age children fall much less often, their movements are better coordinated, their head is less prone to blows, however, the risk of serious injury increases. This is explained not only by a change in the structure of the skull, but also by the fact that collisions and falls are becoming more spontaneous and unexpected, which means that the brain may not have time to give a command to group.

Therefore, if a 7-12-year-old child falls and hits his head (any part: back of the head, forehead, nose, etc.), immediately, but very carefully feel the affected area for possible open wounds or “bumps”. Fortunately, children of this age are able to explain in a connected way where and how it hurts, what exactly happened, to describe their well-being, unlike kids.

The child hit his head: what to do?

This question arises for parents as soon as they realize what happened, and the child has already calmed down a little. the site will tell you what the very first steps of "ambulance parental care" should be.

Reassure the baby and, if possible, ask what exactly he hit.
Carefully inspect the injury site. If it is closed, that is, the skin is intact, then apply a cold compress, preferably through a cloth. This will reduce pain, relieve swelling and prevent an increase in hematoma.
If the damage is accompanied by bleeding from the wound, then it is necessary to wash this place with hydrogen peroxide. At heavy bleeding call a doctor immediately, if weak, you can wait within 20 minutes. Most likely it will stop.
The child hit his head hard, cries and can not come to his senses. Beware of giving painkillers, as they can affect the objective picture of what is happening and make it difficult for a doctor to make a diagnosis, which must be called if there is no end in sight to the tears and general form the victim is causing you concern.
Did the child hit his head when falling from a great height or at speed? Be sure to examine the child for damage to other parts of the body, especially the arms and legs, with which he, quite possibly, tried to slow down.

When You Can't Do Without a Doctor

As you can see from what you've read, most worries about falls and bruises dissipate within an hour after an emergency. However the following signs should serve as a signal to immediately call an ambulance.

Nausea, loss of appetite, (especially with bile or blood).
Increased sleepiness.
Disorder of coordination of movements, speech, hearing.
sustainable headache for over 1 hour.
Fainting, dizziness.
Cramps, loss of sensation in the arms/legs.
Bleeding from the nose or ears, or any unusual discharge.
Sudden change in body temperature.
Dark spots around the ears, on the face.

If you are watching similar symptoms and you know for sure that your child hit his head, the consequences can be very diverse. The most common among them are hematoma, concussion / swelling / contusion of the brain, skull fractures.

Perhaps you are lucky and your child has never fallen on his head and, moreover, has not received serious injuries, but not everyone is so lucky. Some mothers are very worried that their child often hits his head. He is probably just very active and inquisitive.

Check with your pediatrician at your next visit. Maybe he will recommend contacting a neurologist or a psychologist, and also give a referral for an ultrasound scan.

To paraphrase a well-known proverb, we can say this: "The one who does not go anywhere does not hit." Your baby learns the world, help him in this unobtrusively, but carefully.
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