Massachusetts Personal Injury Library
Preventable Child Head Injuries
Many child injuries are preventable, but what can parents do to protect their children? And if their child is injured, how can they tell whether it is a serious injury?
According to a report by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), childhood injuries are among the most underrated public health problems facing the United States today.
- About 20 children die every day from a preventable injury – more than die from all diseases combined.
- Injuries requiring medical attention or resulting in restricted activity affect approximately 20 million children and adolescents, and cost $17 billion annually in medical costs.
- Many of these injuries are predictable, preventable and controllable.
Child Head Injuries
How can parents tell is their child has a serious head injury? If a child tries to get up within a few seconds of falling and acts and looks well, parents should look for cuts and lumps on the head and then let the child resume activities. It is all right to let the child sleep as long as he/she looks like his/her usual self, but be sure to awaken the child after 20-30 minutes. If he/she is easily awakened, moves the arms and legs well, responds to you normally and can walk and play, there is probably not a serious head injury.
What is a concussion?
A child has suffered a concussion if he or she exhibits the following signs:
- appears dazed and stunned,
- lays motionless on the ground for a time,
- vomits, and
- has difficulty walking.
In this case, parents need to take the child right away to the doctor or emergency room.
A “concussion” injury is, simply speaking, a shaking up of the brain caused by a fall or a blow to the head. It may or may not be associated with a loss of consciousness, vomiting, or an accompanying skull fracture.
It takes from one day to a week for the brain to get back to normal after a concussion. A severe concussion many cause unconsciousness lasting for days.
If a skull fracture or bleeding within the brain is suspected, a CT scan or an MRI study is recommended, rather than an X-ray. These tests can show depressed skull fractures and provide details of the soft tissue structures, including the brain and blood vessels, near the injury, and other parts of the central nervous system.
What should you do right away when a child has a head injury?
If there is an expanding “goose egg” on the scalp, put crushed ice in a washcloth and apply it directly to the lump. Use moderate pressure. Apply the ice for five to ten minutes, wait a few minutes, then repeat.
When is a head cut a serious injury?
A head injury from a cut is very common. After stopping the initial flow of blood and parents should determine the child’s mental status (awake? alert? groggy?), a closer examination of his wound will determine whether stitches are necessary. To control major bleeding, make a large pad with any clean cloth and hold the pad over the wound pressing firmly.
What to do if the child is unconscious?
The child should be evaluated at a hospital emergency room following a head injury if the child is unconscious or non-responsive. Call 911 immediately. If the child is not breathing, make sure there is nothing blocking the airway, and then begin mouth-to-mouth respiration.
What is there is an object causing the cut?
If there is an object in the wound, such as a rock or piece of metal, do not attempt to remove it unless you absolutely have to to move the child.
What if there is a fall from a great height?
With a severe head injury, especially one resulting from a fall from a height, it’s possible that the neck may be injured. Parents should be extremely careful with moving the head. Keep the child comfortable and warm, stop any bleeding, make sure the child can breathe and wait for the paramedics.
When does a wound need stitches?
If it’s shallow just on the outer layers of the skin, and you can close the injury with tape or a Band Aid, it probably doesn’t need stitches. Deeper cuts, where you can see the underlying tissue, usually require stitches to close the wound. If your child is cut and you are not sure if stitches are needed, ask your doctor or nurse in the emergency room.
What should a parent look for in their child’s eyes after a head injury?
Make it a point to look at your child’s eyes and learn the size of their pupils when they are healthy. A dilating or larger pupil following a head injury is an important danger sign of a serious head injury.
What are other signs to look for after a head injury?
Look for signs of weakness, numbness, or tingling or a part or parts of the body, usually on the same side of the body. Sometimes a child will exhibit seizures but they are rare. Look for changes in breathing, and an increasing or decreasing pulse.
If your child has sustained a serious head injury in Massachusetts, you should contact a Boston child injury lawyer after seeking medical treatment.
When selecting a Boston child injury lawyer you’ll want to ask critical questions such as; how long have you been practicing law; do you have experience with child head injury cases in Boston, Massachusetts; what is the biggest settlement or verdict you have won?
For over 30 years Kiley Law Group, located in Andover and Boston, Massachusetts, has fought on behalf of children. Our child injury lawyers take time when speaking with you about your child’s injuries. Mr. Kiley’s firm works with you on a contingency basis, which means there are NO FEES unless our trained personal injury attorneys win your case.
Call now for a FREE Legal Consultation.
