Babies can get hurt very easily and often hit their heads. Though they often recover very quickly, it is important to make sure that your child does not have serious injuries. With older children, they are able to share their symptoms with you. With babies and toddlers, though, they are unable to say if they are experiencing problems. And while parents can usually tell if something is wrong with their babies, they might not know for sure if it is a concussion.
Concussions are serious head injuries, especially because it involves your brain and how it functions. According to Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, “compared to all other age groups, children under the age of 4 years old have the highest incident rates of traumatic brain injury”. Most of these concussions come from falling at home, but they also can happen in car crashes.
There are a few signs of concussion to watch for right after your child has hit their head.
Symptoms:
- Seizures
- Difficulty waking from sleep
- Altered behavior
- Passing out
You might not really understand the symptoms until a few hours or days later. As you continueto care for your child, look out for:
- Signs of pain
- Throwing up or changes in eating
- Unusual movement, off-balance, seizures
- Changes in mood or behavior
- Less interested in toys or play
- Changes in sleep patterns
- New toileting accidents
- Bumps, bruises, or bleeding from head or face.
Your child is more likely to get a concussion if they fall from more than three feet, hit a hard surface, or fall at a fast speed. Also, if your car seats are not installed properly, and you get into an accident, they can also get a concussion. See our article here about car seats.
If your child has any of these symptoms, you should take them to the emergency room to get medical attention.
When your baby is recovering from a concussion make sure that you “rest at home”, “create a calm place at home”, “encourage your child to stay hydrated”, “prevent a second injury”, and “monitor your child”.
Contact Flickinger • Boulton • Robson • Weeks, P.C.
For more information about your legal options following a serious motor vehicle collision, be sure to contact our team of auto accident attorneys today. The legal team at Flickinger • Boulton • Robson • Weeks, P.C. will help you in your time of legal need.
