Head Injuries and Concussions...!

A situation I most get asked about, is when someone (usually a little someone) falls and bonks their head. I get asked, if they should "go in" to the hospital or not.
Please follow your instincts if you thing something is seriously wrong..but if you want some guidance on making that decision, read on.

After a Head Injury:
Pay Attention to how the child is ACTING.
This is more of an indicator, than how big the bump is, or what the cause was.

If the child has a glazed-over look, cannot focus their eyes, cannot control their head, will not open their eyes, will not respond to your voice, there is bleeding from the nose or ears, the pupils will not respond to dark or light/or are unequal in size or are dilated, these are signs of concern. These signs may be immediate, or they may even be delayed. You probably want to quickly get them into an ER for examination and follow-up.
In the meantime....
You will need to help them re-gain orientation and alertness. Call their name, look them in the eye etc. Do not shake them or let them fall asleep or leave them alone. If you drive (hopefully not alone) to the ER, be sure to alert the check-in Triage staff that your child had a head injury and is not fully alert. You should be seen immediately. The ER medical staff will be monitoring and/or testing them for additional signs and symptoms of a more serious head injury.
One sign they will be watching for, is if the child can tolerate food without vomitting, If they do/did vomit, they will most likely be getting an MRI to check for internal bleeding. They will also be evaluating their alertness. They will want you to be able to tell them if the child is acting normally again or not. They will check their pupils, temperature, and nose and ears for bleeding.
Most likely, a child has suffered a Concussion. This occurs when the brain is shaken up or hits the inside of the skull. Concussion is given supportive care, and they should get better as time goes on. You will need to monitor them carefully by waking them every 2hours at night, never leaving them alone and watching for any unusual behavior or symptoms.
Head injuries are Scary and it is good to be Familiar with them before they occur!
Always call 911 if you are not sure!!