Watching Your Child for Symptoms of Brain Injury

After an accident in Virginia that causes a blow to your child’s head, you may be wondering whether he or she needs a medical examination. According to KidsHealth, the answer is yes, and you may even need to call emergency services if your child loses consciousness; has blood or clear fluid leaking from the nose, ear or mouth; is breathing abnormally; has one pupil larger than the other; has a seizure; or is an infant. 

Other signs that you need to visit a doctor immediately include the following:

• Your child vomits several times

• Your child is weak or paralyzed

• Your child complains about head pain

• Your child falls asleep and is hard to wake up

• Your child is fussy and difficult to console

• Your child is not talking or walking normally

Even if none of these signs are present, if you have a gut feeling something is wrong, it is a good idea to go with your instincts and visit a doctor. Some injuries happen inside the skull and may not have any visible symptoms for days, or even months or years. Torn blood vessels, bruising and other issues can create pressure inside the skull that damages the brain. This may cause serious issues as the pressure grows, or it could cause damage that leads to developmental delays later. 

Johns Hopkins Medicine notes that a doctor may use x-rays or other imaging methods to identify internal injuries, or may order a procedure known as an electroencephalogram, which measures your child’s brain activity.