Most childhood head injuries are minor and hurt only the outside of the head. On rare occasions, a severe head injury can cause bruising or bleeding in the brain. This type of head injury requires immediate medical attention.

Signs and Symptoms

Of a mild head injury:

• minor scalp swelling
• cut on the scalp
• mild headache
• vomiting two or three times

Of a potentially serious head injury:

• unconsciousness or unresponsiveness
• obvious serious wound
• blood or clear fluid from the nose or ear
• changes in behavior, such as sluggishness, agitation, confusion, or excessive sleepiness
• dizziness or stumbling
• seizure
• vomiting more than two or three times or vomiting hours after the injury
• severe or worsening headache

What to Do

• Call 911 for any serious head injury. Do not move an unconscious child. If your child is not breathing, perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), if you've been trained.
• Call the doctor right away if an infant has a head injury or a child of any age has neck pain or won't stop crying after a head injury.
• Allow your child to sleep if he or she is tired.

Think Prevention!

• Childproof your house.
• Don't use infant walkers.
• Make sure kids wear protective gear for contact sports, biking, skating, and skateboarding.