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If there is something that usually scares as much or more than blood, it is blows to the head.
Especially when the one who takes them is the smallest of the house.
They are one of those moments that fathers and mothers fear will happen, but inevitably it will end up happening one day or another.
A small mistake by the parents or a stumble by the child will be enough for their head to end up hitting a hard surface, and at that moment the question will arise as to whether they should go to the emergency room or not.
I am sure that when you finish reading this article, that question will be fully resolved.
Blows to the head, are they always dangerous?
Not fortunately.
The vast majority of them end up being minor injuries that do not go beyond the fright of the parents, the crying of the child and the appearance of the classic bump.
Specifically, 8 out of 10 head injuries are minor and do not require medical attention of any kind.
He has suffered a blow, are we going to the emergency room?
After the blow we must assess how the child is in order to make a decision.
If he has not lost consciousness at any time, the crying is strong, he is not drowsy after the blow, everything is apparently normal and the child does not take risky medication or have pathologies that could compromise his health due to that blow, we have no reason to go to the emergency room.
It will suffice to observe the child's condition for the next 24 hours.
What should we watch after the blow to the head?
There are a series of warning signs that should be monitored during the next 24 hours after the blow, and in the event of their appearance, a visit to the emergency room cannot be delayed under any circumstances.
These signs and symptoms are:
Vomiting, dizziness, or seizures.
Headache that increases in intensity over the hours.
Loss of muscle strength or changes in vision.
Difficulty in speech that did not exist before the blow.
Stunned, the child has trouble waking up, changes in behavior.
Shall I hit him with the arnica bar?
There are not a few fathers and mothers who carry a bottle of arnica with them every time their child goes to play in the park, with the idea of applying the stick to the skin after each trauma.
But if we consult science, unfortunately we find that arnica has not proven to be useful in preventing the lump from coming out, much less in calming the pain after a blow to the head.
Nor to prevent that blow from ending up causing a serious injury.
Whenever possible, it is preferable to apply ice to the area to reduce inflammation and at the same time calm the pain somewhat.
Can I give you paracetamol?
If you are not allergic, of course you are.
Blows to the head are painful for children and adults, and if the child complains of pain after they occur, we can give them an oral anti-inflammatory (paracetamol or ibuprofen) to alleviate the initial symptoms.
Is it true that you can't let him sleep?
No, it is not.
It is not necessary to do the impossible to prevent the child from sleeping, he can be allowed to sleep without any problem, but we must wake him up every 4 hours to check that he is as usual and the blow continues without having important consequences.
In the case of adults, is the advice the same?
In reality, the guidelines to follow after a head injury do not vary from children to adults, we can also apply all the advice that I have given previously to adults.
The warning signs that we must watch for in the 24 hours after the coup are the same.
But we must be especially careful with people who take oral anticoagulants, since the risk of bleeding as a result of trauma is greater.
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