The child hit the back of his head on the ground. Doctor Komarovsky about what to do if a child hits his head

Many mothers are familiar with this problem: the infant fell or fell out of the crib, stroller or somewhere else. There is probably no child who has never fallen or hit his head. Small children under one year old fall very often.

The main reasons for such falls are the child’s extreme curiosity and mobility, inability to control his body and great specific gravity heads.

"The child falls, and God puts a pillow"
folk wisdom

Often in a situation where a child falls from a bed or changing table, the mother does not know what to do. Should I run to the doctor, call “ ambulance"or help the child yourself? The question is how he fell: from what height, what did he hit and in what place.

A child fell out of bed and hit his head: possible injuries

The fall of a child has its own peculiarity: in early age The greatest risk of injury is to the head. In small children it is the hardest. And the most common affected area is the parietal part.

If a child is injured when he falls, the following facts must be taken into account:

• The fontanels and large amount of fluid around the brain absorb shock, reduce the risk of concussion and skull fracture, thus protecting the baby from serious injury. Therefore, for the child’s health, falls from a small height (30-40 cm) in most cases pass without consequences.
• The child's brain is actively developing. Hitting your child's head when he falls can have a negative impact on his development and health. The consequences can be mental illness, low level of intelligence, headaches, loss of vision or hearing, etc.

All traumatic brain injuries are divided into:

• open (damaged bones and soft fabrics)
• closed (when the integrity of the skull bones and soft tissues is not compromised)

Closed brain injuries are divided into:

• concussion
• brain contusion
• compression of the brain

With a concussion, there are no changes in the structure of the brain matter, with a bruise, foci of destruction of the brain matter appear, and compression appears against the background of the bruise due to rupture of blood vessels or fragments of the skull.

If a child falls and hits his head (the back of the head or forehead), there may be a soft tissue bruise - the mildest injury when the brain does not suffer in any way. Then a lump or abrasion occurs at the site of the impact.

What matters is not exactly where he hit when he fell (forehead or back of the head), but the severity of the brain damage.

Symptoms indicating a brain injury

How to assess the severity of an injury if a child falls and hits his head?

A concussion is manifested by a short-term loss of consciousness. In children less than a year old This can be difficult to notice. This condition can be assumed if some time has passed from the moment of the fall to the appearance of crying (1-3 minutes). The child may vomit. Up to 3 months, vomiting may occur repeatedly. There may be pale skin, sweating, as well as drowsiness and refusal to eat. Children under one year old do not sleep well the first night after injury.

With a brain injury, the loss of consciousness may be longer (more than an hour), and signs of respiratory and cardiac dysfunction may appear.

If a child falls out of bed and falls in such a way that the bones of the skull are fractured, his condition may be serious. There may be leakage of cerebrospinal fluid (a light liquid) or blood from the nose or ear. Bruises appear around the eyes (a symptom of glasses). However, symptoms may appear several hours after the injury.

If a child falls from a bed (sofa, changing table or other surface), it is necessary to closely monitor his condition. In the case when everything ends with 10-15 minutes of crying, and the child’s condition has not changed, you don’t need to see a doctor.

If the mother has any doubts that the injury is not dangerous, it is better to call a doctor, since it is more reliable to ensure the child’s health than to treat serious consequences later.

Children under 1.5 years old can have neurosonography. This procedure is painless, inexpensive and performed using an ultrasound machine. It is used to determine increased intracranial pressure and the presence of life-threatening hemorrhages. At a later age, such a study will not be possible if a large fontanel is overgrown.

A child fell and hit his head: options and first aid

Often in a situation where a child falls from a bed or changing table, the mother does not know what to do.

If, after crying after the blow, the child calms down and behaves as usual, then the experience gained will only benefit him. In this case, after comforting the baby, it is enough to apply a cold compress to the site of the bruise for 10-15 minutes. A cloth soaked in cold water, ice wrapped in a towel, or any other cold object is suitable for this.

Treat the wound or abrasion with hydrogen peroxide to prevent infection. If there is further bleeding (if it is not stopped), call an ambulance.

The main signs when you need to see a doctor if your child hits his head:

• deterioration in health, the baby “falls asleep on the go”
• muscle twitching, limb spasms
• wide pupils that do not constrict in bright light or pupils that vary in size
• sudden pallor of the skin
• paresis or muscle paralysis
• in older children - dizziness
• blood in urine, stool, or even vomit
• nosebleed

The first thing you need to do if you have the above signs of a concussion is to get to a doctor or call an ambulance by any means.

If a child falls asleep soon after a fall, you should not rely on the restorative properties of sleep. It is important to see a doctor as soon as possible to rule out cerebral edema. The child will have intracranial pressure reduced and brain metabolism adjusted with the help of medication.

In difficult cases (cracks in the bones of the brain, pressing of fragments inside, ruptures of the hard membranes of the brain, fractures), surgery may be necessary in the department of pediatric neurosurgery.

Prevention of head injuries in children due to falls

The situation when a child falls from a bed or changing table occurs most often with children under one year old. Therefore, there is no need to leave the baby alone, especially if he has already learned to roll over. It is better to leave the child on the floor (not naked, of course).

A changing table is a very dangerous thing, as it has a small area. Therefore, the presence of adults alone is not enough; you need to hold the child with your hand. It is better to swaddle your baby on a bed or sofa.

You can lay down something soft or put pillows on the floor, in case the child will fall from the bed.

Children also “love” to fall out of strollers. Therefore, it is better to purchase lower models and strollers with high sides, and do not neglect to fasten the child.

When a child begins to walk, falls occur frequently. This may be due to slippery floors (parquet). Your child can wear socks with rubberized inserts (they will prevent slipping). Rugs and rugs should not “ride” on the floor; they can also cause a fall.

I would like to note psychological side question. There is no need to constantly feel afraid that the child will fall and hit his head - after all, exactly what a person is very afraid of happens. In addition, you can pass this fear on to the child himself.

To prevent the child from falling and hitting his head when going to the kitchen or somewhere else, spread a blanket on the floor, put the child on it, the baby will get a lot of pleasure from the new perspective, and you can temporarily go about your business without consequences for the child’s health.

Video: about small children falling and hitting their heads

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Hello dear readers. When a child begins to walk, he cannot be completely protected from falls; you can try to ensure his safety by removing all dangerous objects and corners in the little one’s path. However, you cannot completely protect your child from possible injuries. Do not forget that at first the baby will only master moving in a vertical position, so he may fall without maintaining his balance; later, his movements will not yet be sufficiently coordinated, so falls are also possible. And what can we say about outdoor games, when the baby can run, stumble and hit his head. Therefore, it is important to know when a child hits his head, what to look for, what symptoms in the toddler’s behavior can be considered alarming, and how to provide first aid.

Is there any danger?

There are cases when children under one year old fell from the bed, changing tables, or fell out of the stroller. Mothers carried their little one to the hospital in horror. But is a fall as dangerous for a baby as we think? The little one still has lingering fontanelles on his head; it is their presence that absorbs the blow without causing much harm to its owner. In addition, babies up to two months of age still have a sufficient amount of fluid in their heads. This prevents serious injury.

Although there are also quite serious factors that contribute to the formation of serious injury after a fall. Therefore, it is important to know what symptoms in the behavior of toddlers after a head injury may indicate a serious development of events and possible problems, and you should also be able to provide first aid. After all, it is not so rare that a mother unknowingly tries to help her baby, but only makes it worse for him and contributes to the development of complications after hitting her head.

Alarming symptoms

1. General change in the baby’s well-being.
2. Severe crying that does not stop for a long time (longer than 15 minutes).
3. Severe headache, dizziness, fainting.
4. General weakness, drowsiness.
5. The occurrence of a convulsive state, paralysis of the arms or legs.
6. Severe nausea, vomiting.
7. Bleeding from the site of injury.
8. Clear discharge or bleeding from the sensory organs.
9. Hemorrhages in the eyeball.
10. Asymmetric pupils (difference in size).
11. Tinnitus.
12. Deterioration of appetite or its complete absence.
13. Poor sleep with frequent waking up in an anxious state.
14. Paleness of the skin surface.
15. Formation of blueness under the eyes.
16. Fast or slow heart rate.

If at least one symptom appears, you must urgently go to the clinic or call a doctor or an ambulance at home. Such symptoms, as a rule, indicate the presence of CMP. Therefore, it is better not to aggravate the process by inaction, but to get a doctor’s prescription as quickly as possible and give the baby specialized help.

Possible consequences of falling and hitting your head

Despite the unhealed fontanelles, the bones of the skull are still quite fragile and have not completely fused, so serious injury is possible after hitting the head in a fall.

If a child is diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury, then it has the following classification:

1. Open. A condition in which the mother can visually observe protruding bone fragments from the surface of the baby’s head is characterized by a violation of the integrity of the skin.
2. Closed. With this injury, the damage concerns only the brain and, as a rule, does not affect the structure of the skull bones and does not violate the integrity skin heads.

Closed CMPs are represented by the following brain injuries:

1. Injury. Areas of destruction of brain matter appear. Characterized by prolonged fainting, possibly impaired respiratory and cardiac activity.
2. Shake. The structure of the brain matter remains intact. Temporary fainting, nausea, vomiting, possibly pale skin, drowsiness, lack of appetite, and restless sleep are typical.
3. Compression. Accompanied by a bruise. Occurs due to fragments of skull bones or ruptures in vascular system heads.

First aid

Most often on forums, parents ask the question: the child hit his forehead, what should I do? Often the baby falls and injures this particular part of the head. Although blows to the back of the head and even the temple are not uncommon. And the latter pose a particular danger. Let's look at what parents should do if their baby falls and hits his head.

First of all, you should inspect the little one for possible damage. It is important to remain calm. Ask your child what is bothering him. Children who cannot speak can point to the place where it hurts.

1. If a child hits his forehead and a lump forms at the site of the impact, then first you will need a cold compress. If you use ice in any form, be sure to wrap it in a cloth to prevent the development of a cold burn. Let the ice sit for at least four minutes. This procedure will prevent the formation of severe edema and hematoma or slow down this process.
2. If a bleeding wound appears after a head blow, it is necessary to moisten a cotton swab, for example, in hydrogen peroxide and blot the wound with it. This will help disinfect damaged skin. If there is prolonged bleeding lasting more than 10 minutes, this is quite an alarming signal, you better call an ambulance.
3. In cases where, after a fall and a blow to the head, the child has no visible injuries, it is necessary for three - four days Closely monitor the behavior and condition of the baby. If they appear alarming symptoms- to see a doctor.
4. Take your baby's pulse. If bradycardia or tachycardia is characteristic, this is a reason to consult a doctor.
5. Make sure the pupils are the same. If this is not the case, it is better to call a doctor.
6. Remember, parents, when providing first aid, should not give analgesics; this can blur the picture for making a correct diagnosis when examining the child by an emergency doctor.
7. After hitting your head, especially if your child hits his temple, do not let him fall asleep. Because of this it will be missed complete picture possible occurrence of symptoms. In addition, sleep after such an injury can cause complications.
8. It is important to immobilize the baby after hitting the head. Now he needs rest, even if the injury is minor, it’s better to be safe.
9. It is recommended to wake up the little one at night after the blow to make sure that everything is in order with his coordination and there are no complications.

My six-year-old son fell while playing in the yard and hit the back of his head. This happened because another boy pushed my son (it happened so suddenly that I didn’t even have time to react), and my baby flew into a stone wall. Blood appeared at the site of injury and an abrasion formed. I took my son in my arms to immobilize him, and went home with him. It’s good that they were right in front of the house, two steps from the entrance. I treated the wound with hydrogen peroxide, applied a bandage folded in several layers and bandaged the head. As it turned out, the scratch was insignificant; the outer layer of the skin was just damaged. The child’s condition was absolutely normal, there were no complaints. Just in case, I called the pediatrician, she said to monitor his behavior for four days. If there are changes, go to the clinic. Fortunately, everything worked out for us.

Measures to prevent possible falls

1. If a new stage of motor activity has begun in your baby’s life (the child began to sit, crawl, walk, run), you need to take care of his safety by removing all dangerous places in the room.
2. Never leave your baby unattended if he is lying on a bed or table. Even a toddler who has just started to roll over from his back to his tummy can fall.
3. If you are walking on fresh air, make sure that the baby is secured in the stroller, especially if he already knows how to sit.
4. If you use a walker, it is best to keep your child in your line of sight as well.
5. The baby can simply slip while walking on the floor. Buy special socks or slippers for him, with rubber inserts on the soles.
6. Never worry about the fact that your little one may fall and get injured sooner or later. So you just once again If you disrupt your psyche, your feelings are transmitted to the baby, and he also begins to get nervous. But in your case, nothing may happen.

Never forget that our children are active from birth, it just manifests itself to varying degrees. It is better if the child avoids falls, but since no one is safe from them, remember that not all cases of falling and hitting their head on hard surface, indicates a traumatic brain injury. The main thing is that there is no need to panic if a blow occurs, collect your thoughts and act according to the first aid plan.

If a child hits his head, this cannot be ignored, hoping that the blow was weak and the injury is not serious. The consequences of a concussion can be dangerous, so you need to know when to see a doctor.

What to do if your child hits his head

Falls in children happen quite often. In some cases, everything gets done with bruises and bumps, but sometimes the child needs medical attention.

If your child hits their head, you can apply a cold compress to the area of ​​the injury.

Signs that parents should be alert to:

• The child did not start crying immediately after the impact, but after a few seconds. This may indicate that he lost consciousness for some time;
• The child became very pale and began to sweat;
• He begins to vomit or soon it turns out that his appetite has completely disappeared;
• Soon after the blow, the baby began to feel sleepy.

All these symptoms indicate that parents should seek medical help.

Infants deserve special attention. The bones of their skull are still soft, unfused. Their structure is such that the brain is reliably protected during falls, but at the same time, children's bones are more fragile.

If an infant hits his head, the usual symptoms of vomiting and loss of consciousness may be absent. The baby still cannot talk about his condition, and he cannot hesitate in dangerous situations. Therefore, if a child under one year old hits his head, it is advisable to always call an ambulance. It is necessary to exclude concussion and fracture of the cranial vault.

Infants often hit their heads due to parental oversight, rolling off sofas and changing tables. As soon as the baby turns 3-4 months old, you cannot take your eyes off him for a minute.

But small child can be injured by falling from a height of one’s own height, for example, if one is learning to stand on one’s feet.

Unfortunately, the baby often ends up on the floor. What should parents do in this case?

Dangerous heights or where a child could fall

A small child is surrounded by care and attention from birth. His loved ones are doing everything possible to ensure that the baby’s health is not in danger. But even the most attentive mother can make a mistake. Sometimes you just need to turn away for a second and the baby is already on the floor.

The fact is that not everyone correctly imagines the capabilities of the baby. Even a newborn child, making chaotic movements with his arms and legs, may well move to the edge and fall, although the likelihood of this is small.

Particularly dangerous places from which a fall can occur for babies under 6 months are the changing table, sofa, and parents' bed. After six months, the baby begins to actively master new movements, learns to sit, crawl, stand on his feet against a support, and then walk.

At this age, he can fall from his crib, from a highchair, from a stroller, etc.

Most often, when falling, babies hit their heads: up to 1 year of age, the head is the most vulnerable place due to its rather large sizes and mass in relation to the body. But damage to other parts of the body is also possible. Most often these are bruises, in rare cases - bone fractures or traumatic brain injury (TBI).

If a child hits his head...

Head impacts in babies under 1 year of age are quite common, and they do not necessarily have to fall, because the baby can accidentally hit surrounding objects or furniture while making active movements. In this case, basically everything passes without consequences: it is not a traumatic brain injury that occurs, but only a bruise. However, when falling from a height, the likelihood of suffering a traumatic brain injury (CHI) increases many times over.

What is TBI?

Traumatic brain injury is mechanical damage to the bones of the skull and soft tissues of the head (brain, its vessels, cranial nerves, meninges).

Traumatic brain injuries include:
concussion ( light form TBI – there are no obvious changes in the structure of the brain, but functional activity may be impaired);
brain contusion of varying severity (accompanied by destruction of the brain matter in a certain area, causing severe functional disorders);
compression of the brain (severe pathology that occurs against the background of a brain contusion or rupture of a large blood vessel, which leads to the formation of an intracranial hematoma).

In children with typical falls, compression of the brain is extremely rare. To suffer such an injury, a child must fall from a height of at least 2? m or hit a very hard or sharp object.

We assess the situation. Symptoms of traumatic brain injury in a child are not the same as in an adult, which is due to the structural features of the skull and internal structures of the infant’s brain. In some cases, a long asymptomatic course of TBI or, conversely, a violent manifestation of symptoms with minimal trauma is possible. This is due to the flexibility of the skull bones, their mobility relative to each other in the suture area, as well as age-related anatomical and physiological characteristics of the brain. Brain cells in an infant are not yet fully differentiated, i.e. There is no strict division into zones of brain function, which is why the symptoms are most often vague.

When hitting the head, the baby feels pain and redness appears at the site of the impact. In the future, a slight swelling may develop. If nothing else alarms you, there is no need to worry: this is not a traumatic brain injury, but a bruise of the tissues of the head. In this case, you need to give the child a cold compress and calm him down. Cold constricts blood vessels, stopping subcutaneous bleeding, and has an anti-inflammatory and some analgesic effect.

A small heating pad with ice is suitable for the compress. plastic bottle with cold water, as well as any cold non-traumatic object. It should be wrapped in a diaper or towel, applied to the site of the bruise and held for 10–15 minutes. It is important that the impact of cold is directed strictly at the bruised area - the surrounding tissues should not be affected. If the child does not allow you to hold the compress - he is capricious, dodges - you can moisten a gauze pad, bandage or piece of cloth in cold water and tie it to the damaged area. The bandage should be changed as it warms up within half an hour.

One of the symptoms of a brain injury may be loss of consciousness. But for children this phenomenon is quite rare, and often it does not accompany even severe damage. This is due to the underdevelopment in infants of the cerebellum and the vestibular apparatus as a whole, which are responsible for the coordination of movements. You also have no way of knowing if your baby is experiencing a headache. Thus, the most characteristic features traumatic brain injury in infants are:

• loud screaming as a reaction to pain;
• increased physical activity, general anxiety or, conversely, lethargy and increased drowsiness;
• vomiting, refusal to eat;
• pale skin.

These signs are characteristic of a concussion. For a brain contusion of varying severity (damage to the brain substance itself), the following symptoms are characteristic, in addition to the above (or without them):

• rolling of the eyes, temporary squint or difference in pupil diameter;
• loss of consciousness (this can be assumed if after the fall the baby did not scream immediately, but after one or several minutes).

A child’s consciousness after a fall can be assessed using three signs:

• Opening of the eyes (whether the baby opens his eyes on his own, or to a loud sound, or to a painful stimulus, or does not open at all).
• Motor reaction(here it is important to evaluate the baby’s movements: is there any motor activity at all, does he move his limbs in the same way, is the tone of individual muscles increased).
• Verbal contact (whether the child is walking, smiling, crying, moaning, or no voice).

This assessment can be made a few minutes after the fall, when the baby has already come to his senses. Normally, he should move normally, coo (or say syllables) and open his eyes just like he always did.

A dangerous symptom is a temporary external improvement when, after sleep, the child’s external signs of injury that were previously present disappear. But after this, the baby’s condition may deteriorate sharply.

There are also open craniocerebral injuries, when the integrity of the bones of the skull, and possibly the dura mater, is disrupted. In this case, there is a risk of infection of the brain tissue.

Thus, there are many signs of brain injury. Therefore, parents should be wary of any deviation from the baby’s usual behavior. You should consult a doctor in any case if your child falls and hits his head. If everything is limited to a bruise of the soft tissues of the head without other pathological signs, you need to show the baby to a pediatrician and neurologist at the clinic. If symptoms of a brain contusion appear (especially loss of consciousness and lack of reactions to external stimuli - light, sounds), as well as an open head injury, you should immediately call an ambulance.

If the head blow was not accompanied by the appearance dangerous symptoms(for example, loss of consciousness), the child should be shown to the pediatrician on the same day or, in extreme cases, the day after the injury (you can call a doctor at home or bring the baby to the clinic). If necessary, the pediatrician will refer the baby for consultation to other doctors (neurologist, traumatologist).

Late application for medical care is fraught with deterioration of the child’s condition.

Before the doctor arrives

All that the mother can do before the doctor arrives is to calm the baby, put a cold compress on the bruise and provide peace to the baby. If a child has an open head injury, you need to cover the damaged area with a sterile gauze bandage and urgently call an ambulance. If there is an open head injury, cold should not be applied.

When the doctor arrives, he will examine the child and, if necessary, take you and the baby to the hospital for additional tests and treatment.

Diagnosis of TBI

The first step in diagnosis is an examination by a doctor. Doctor evaluates general condition child, his consciousness, state of reflexes, motor activity, integrity of the skull bones. The purpose of further research depends on the preliminary diagnosis after examining the baby and on the capabilities of a particular medical institution. Sometimes just one study is enough to make a diagnosis, and sometimes, if doctors have doubts, they have to do several at once.

If the large fontanel on the top of the baby’s head is not yet overgrown, it is possible to conduct neurosonography in a hospital or clinic - an ultrasound examination of the brain through the large fontanel. X-ray computed tomography (CT) is widely used in the diagnosis of brain pathologies. Currently, CT is the most reliable method for studying the brain.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) does not involve x-rays, but is based on the absorption abilities of magnetic fields. MRI provides higher contrast images of brain tissue than CT. However infants CT and MRI are rarely prescribed, since one of the conditions for their implementation is complete immobility of the patient, which is almost impossible to ensure with a small child. These studies for children are possible only under anesthesia if absolutely necessary.

To assess the integrity of the skull bones, craniography (x-ray of the skull) is performed. Ophthalmoscopy - examination of the fundus of the eye - is additional method research. It allows you to identify signs of increased intracranial pressure, which is important for diagnosing intracranial hemorrhage or cerebral edema.

Lumbar puncture is a more reliable diagnostic method for suspected intracranial hemorrhage. The cerebrospinal fluid is taken with a needle inserted between the spinous processes of the 3rd and 4th lumbar vertebrae. But during the puncture, the child must be motionless, as there is a risk of damage to brain tissue.

How is TBI treated?

Treatment is prescribed based on examination data and clinical studies. For concussions and bruises of the brain, treatment is usually medication. For a concussion, a child is usually treated at home, and for brain contusions - in a hospital. As a rule, the child is prescribed drugs that have anticonvulsant, antispasmodic, and hypnotic effects. The baby will also be advised to rest for 4-5 days. The word “peace” for a baby should mean the absence of new impressions, limiting the number of people around to mom and dad, maintaining silence in the room where the baby is.

Consequences of TBI

After a concussion, the brain usually recovers within 1-3 months without any long-term consequences. For more serious injuries—brain contusions—the consequences depend on the severity of the injury. They can be different - from dizziness and loss of coordination of movements to increased intracranial pressure and epileptic seizures (convulsions with loss of consciousness).

The result of severe trauma can be psycho-emotional disorders (even dementia) or movement disorders (for example, the inability to make any movements). With open head injuries, there is a risk of infection of the brain tissue (encephalitis) and the development of meningitis - inflammation of the membranes of the brain.

If the baby didn't hit his head...

The first step is to quickly assess the child’s condition and examine the site of the injury. If you saw the moment of the fall, then finding the place of possible damage will not be difficult. If you were not around, you should, if possible, calm down and carefully examine the baby.

We assess the situation. The site of the injury can be seen by the characteristic redness that appears in the first seconds after the fall. Over the next few minutes, the redness of the skin may increase, as well as the development of swelling, followed by the formation of a hematoma. A hematoma occurs when a large number of subcutaneous blood vessels rupture from an impact, resulting in the accumulation of liquid blood that has a red-burgundy color in the tissues. A small hemorrhage cannot be called a hematoma - it is just a bruise (bruising due to damage to a small number of subcutaneous blood vessels).

When the site of the bruise is discovered, you need to immediately give the baby a cold compress, as described above in the section on TBI.

In a normal course, the hematoma decreases every day, and its color changes. A fresh hematoma is dark red in color, gradually it becomes blue, and then yellow. To speed up the resorption of the hematoma, you can use heparin-containing ointments, which prevent blood clotting and, therefore, have a resolving effect, or make an iodine mesh, which has a similar effect.

Parents should be alert to the sudden appearance during the healing period (in the first 2–3 days after the injury) of redness of the skin over the hematoma, general malaise of the baby, a rise in body temperature, increasing pain at the site of the injury (the child in this case will begin to show anxiety, and when touching the place hematoma will react with a sharp loud cry). All this may indicate suppuration. In this case, the baby should be urgently taken to a surgeon. He will open the hematoma so that the purulent contents can flow out and apply a bandage.

If after a fall the hematoma continues to increase in size, you should also urgently consult a surgeon, as this may indicate ongoing bleeding. If the baby remains restless despite a visible bruise, it is better to consult a doctor, since the baby may have a bone fracture. This phenomenon occurs in young children more often than a fracture. You can suspect a crack if swelling appears at the site of the impact, and also if the baby starts crying when you try to move his injured limb.

When examining the site of the impact, it is important to determine whether there is a fracture. Its signs:
severe pain at the fracture site; if a limb is broken, it will be very painful for the baby to move it;
severe swelling and bruising at the fracture site;
change in the shape or length of the broken limb (shortening or lengthening);
limited mobility of a limb or, conversely, excessive mobility;
crunching sound when moving the injured limb.

If one or more of these signs appears, you should call an ambulance. In this case, the injured area should be immobilized if possible, for example, with a stick or plank tied with any piece of fabric to the broken limb. If the child cannot calm down due to pain, you can give him a painkiller based on PARACETAMOL or IBUPROFEN in accordance with the age of the baby and the dosage indicated in the instructions for the drug.
If there is an abrasion at the site of the injury (this is possible when falling on an uneven floor), you need to do the following:

• wash the wound with soap and running cool water;
• treat the damage with hydrogen peroxide;
• treat the edges of the wound with an antiseptic solution (iodine or brilliant green);
• dry the wound with a gauze pad;
• apply a sterile bandage: cover the injury site with a sterile napkin (it can be purchased at a pharmacy - the napkin is sold in a sealed package labeled “sterile”) and secure it with a bandage or adhesive plaster. If sterile dressings are not available, you can use a bactericidal patch.

Treatment of fractures

In the hospital, after an examination, the doctor may order an x-ray, and then, depending on the severity of the damage, the following measures will be taken:
Application of a splint - one-sided plaster in the form of a long strip - consisting of several layers of plaster bandage, which is shaped into the shape of the damaged limb and fixed with a bandage (for simple fractures without displacement of bone fragments).

The operation lasts a few minutes under general anesthesia followed by application of a plaster cast (for displaced fractures and comminuted fractures). During the operation, bone fragments are compared, which is necessary for full restoration of function and the absence of complications after a fracture.

When applying a splint, you and your baby will need to visit a traumatologist for an examination.
once a week - provided that there is no redness under the bandage and there is no loss of sensitivity in the injured limb. (Parents should be alerted by paleness, as well as coldness of the injured limb relative to other parts of the body).

If surgery is required, you and your baby will have to stay in the hospital for 3-5 days so that the doctors can make sure that everything was successful. Then the baby will be discharged home with a cast, and a traumatologist will monitor him on an outpatient basis.

The cast and splint are removed when the bone is completely fused, which can be verified by taking an x-ray. Depending on the location of the fracture, the duration of this period can range from 2 weeks (for example, with a fracture of the phalanx of the fingers) to 3 months (with damage to the bones of the lower limb and pelvis).

Prevent Injuries

As already mentioned, children fall most often because their parents underestimate their capabilities. Very small, newly born children also fall - most often due to the fact that mothers leave them on the changing table unattended to run for cream or answer questions. phone call. Making chaotic movements, the baby is able to move quite well, so in no case should you leave even a newborn child alone where he could fall. In order not to be absent while changing a diaper, changing clothes, etc., prepare everything you need in advance. And if you need to answer the phone or open the door, it is better to take the baby with you or put him in a crib. You should not leave your baby unattended on an adult bed or sofa. Although their height is smaller than, for example, a changing table, for a small child this can be enough to cause serious injury.

It is also necessary to raise the side of the bed in a timely manner when the baby learns to roll over. And when the child starts to get up, it is necessary to lower the bottom of the crib - preferably to the lowest level, so that the baby cannot fall out, leaning over the sides.

To be able to leave your baby alone and not be afraid for his safety, you can purchase a playpen or make the floor in the room as safe as possible (remove wires, put plugs on sockets, remove all small and traumatic objects, put locks on drawers that the baby can reach, secure sharp corners of furniture).

Statistics show that very often babies fall out of high chairs or strollers. Therefore, when placing your baby in a high chair, be sure to fasten him with a five-point seat belt. A baby stroller should also be equipped with such belts, and you should definitely use them, even if the baby is constantly in your field of vision. After all, even if the mother is distracted for just a second, there is a risk that the child will fall. And the consequences of a fall, as we have already seen, can be very serious.

According to statistics, in the first two years of life, children hit their heads much more often than in other periods, so almost all parents face the problem of injuries and bruises. Naturally, they begin to worry about the baby’s health, and their fears are not always unfounded. If a child hits his head, what should you pay attention to?

First of all, if your baby hits his head, pay attention to the severity of the injuries and his well-being not only at the time of the fall, but also over the next few days, because the consequences of the injury may not appear immediately and may be quite serious in severity.

A child fell and hit his head: how dangerous is this?

I immediately want to say: “Down with panic!” Hitting your head does not mean “damage something,” “severely injured,” or “there will be consequences.” Yes, sometimes head injuries due to falls can be very dangerous. But you should remember: a child’s body has the ability to quickly rehabilitate itself even after serious injuries, and in most cases protective mechanisms are triggered. And it’s not for nothing that children’s bones are called “soft”; it is because of their softness that the risk of fractures is reduced, while the degree of depreciation is high thanks to a large number cerebrospinal fluid.

And the so-called “fontanel” also plays the role of a shock absorber, and if the baby hits his head, it will help soften the force of the blow, protect against pressure changes, and protect the brain.

Infants always fall head down, because it is heavier in weight than the body, and they do not have stable coordination of movements.

Typical cases of head injuries in infants include the following:

• the baby is left unattended on the changing table, from which he falls to the floor;

• a baby sitting in a high chair and not secured with belts is pushed off with his feet and falls on his back, with the blow falling on the occipital region;

• the baby falls out of the crib, hitting his forehead on the floor;

• A baby on a walk tries to stand up in a stroller and, unable to find support, falls onto the asphalt.

Most likely, there is nothing to worry about since the fall occurred from an insignificant height. But to be on the safe side, it doesn’t hurt to pay close attention to the child’s well-being in the next few days.

The child hit his head - what to do?

In such a situation, adults should be ready to help the victim, because this is already half the successful treatment of a bruise or injury. The first thing to do is to inspect the site of the impact and assess the nature of the damage, and then act according to the circumstances.

So:

1. There are no visible injuries, but the baby continues to cry. The stressful situation and fear have taken their toll, so the parents’ task is to calm the child (pick him up, don’t raise his voice, especially don’t punish). A compress of a towel soaked in cold water should be applied to the site of the impact to reduce pain and prevent swelling.

1. If a hematoma or bump has formed on the head from a blow, you should immediately apply ice or any product cooled in the refrigerator to it, that is, apply a cold compress for about 15-20 minutes, then let the child rest.

Advice! We must not forget that bruises are especially dangerous for young children! If a hematoma has formed on the child’s forehead infancy, it is better to immediately consult a doctor and not wait for other alarming signals; he will examine the baby and give an opinion on the severity of the injuries.

1. It is dangerous when a child cuts his forehead and the wound bleeds. First you need to stop the bleeding: apply a bandage, scarf, towel and hold until the liquid stops oozing. Then the wound is treated with an antiseptic and covered with a bandage.

Advice! Take courage and carefully examine the wound. If it is superficial and looks more like a scratch, then it just needs to be treated. If it is wide (wider than 7 mm) or long (longer than 2 cm), with uneven edges (“torn”), and it is difficult to stop the bleeding, you need to urgently consult a doctor, as stitches will be necessary.

1. If a child hits his head hard and symptoms of severe injury appear (nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fainting, etc.), if the baby’s condition suddenly or gradually worsens, then you should immediately seek medical help.

On the day of the fall and hit his head, the child's activity should be kept to a minimum. And immediately after an unpleasant incident, you should not put him to bed, because the baby’s condition may worsen, which will be difficult to notice.

The first day after injury: observing the reaction

It is important to promptly diagnose disorders due to injury in order to prevent negative consequences, so you will have to monitor the baby’s behavior and condition not only on the day of the fall, but also for the next few days. During this period of time, children are contraindicated in outdoor games, repeated head injuries, physical activity. It is also not advisable to send a child to study or take him to kindergarten, he should be at home, under adult supervision.

What should you focus on?

1. Is consciousness and coordination of movements impaired?

Advice! Wake up your sleeping baby and get him on his feet. If he maintains his balance, then his coordination is fine. Then ask a simple question and listen to what the answer is.

1. Has speech changed (slowing down, stuttering, or lack of crying in the baby should alert you).

1. Are there any deviations in behavior (decreased activity, loss of appetite, drowsiness).

1. How you feel: are there any headache, dizziness, frequent vomiting (a single urge may not always be a sign of a concussion), pupils of different sizes, blueness under the eyes, discharge from the ears or nose, pale skin, convulsions, weakness of the limbs (infants usually do not lean on one arm or pull their leg towards stomach).

If at least one of these symptoms is noticed, then you cannot waste time, because delay can be disastrous for the child, he should be shown to a doctor.

A child hit his forehead: what do you need to know?

The frontal bone is strong enough to withstand even strong blows. But here it is necessary to exclude severe traumatic brain injury, in comparison with which a lump on a child’s forehead may be the least of the problems.

They come in two types:

• open when the bones are crushed and there is a serious wound. Require immediate surgical intervention;

• closed when the skin and bones remain intact.

Closed injuries are not easy to identify and include:

• brain contusion, characterized by loss of consciousness, nasal discharge, darkening of the skin around the eyes against the background of general pallor of the skin, impaired coordination and speech;

• soft tissue bruise is the most harmless condition, which results in a bruise or bump, as well as long crying after a fall. However, it can also be dangerous if the child hit his forehead hard and after a while a depression formed in place of the bump or the bump itself became of an impressive size, complaints of nausea appeared or vomiting began, the skin turned pale, the lips turned blue, the pupils dilated, and breathing became heavy. All this is a reason to urgently go to the emergency room;

• concussion, which often occurs after strong blows, leads to short-term loss of consciousness, dizziness, profuse vomiting, and clouding of mind. Sometimes there are no obvious signs of a concussion, then they pay attention to the nature of the sleep: if it has become anxious, the baby makes sudden movements with its head, most likely it is present.

The presence of a concussion in children under one year of age is rare, but the condition as a whole needs to be assessed. Usually, after a fall, infants scream loudly, move restlessly, and often fall asleep after crying. Having awakened, they begin to be capricious and refuse food, after a while they burp once or repeatedly, and at night they twitch their limbs. The longer this happens, the higher the likelihood that the baby still received a concussion.

There may be another reaction to an injury: after a bruise, a baby falls asleep soundly and wakes up alert, which creates the erroneous impression of recovery and absence of damage. The danger is that at any moment the situation can change dramatically in the direction of worsening well-being.

Having noticed symptoms, parents should take care to call a doctor, without self-medicating and without giving the baby painkillers and other drugs, so as not to make it difficult for a specialist to make a diagnosis.

A child hit the back of his head: what are the consequences?

A blow to the back of the head is no less dangerous than to the forehead, and the same alarming symptoms appear, not to mention various negative consequences in case of delayed treatment.

So, complications after a blow to the back of the head include:

• disturbance of spatial perception (disorientation) and speech;

• absent-mindedness;

• memory impairment;

• sleep disorder;

• numbness of the limbs;

• frequent headaches (migraines).

This can be avoided if you seek medical help in a timely manner.

It is important to remember that a strong blow to the back of the head often leads to a concussion, so such injuries should be treated even more carefully than others associated with blows to the head.

It would be a good idea to take preventative measures to avoid traumatic situations, then you won’t have to wonder what to do if your child hits his head.

Therefore it is important:

• do not leave children (especially infants) unattended, always be nearby and provide protection in places of increased danger (for example, so that the child does not fall from a slide, swing or stairs);

• allow children to play only in safe places;

• teach children traffic rules;

• share information about following safety rules when riding a bicycle, wear a protective helmet, and if a child hits his head on the asphalt while riding, but there are no visible changes in behavior, it is better to play it safe and show him to a doctor;

• place the baby in a car seat if you plan to travel with him in the car.

Be attentive to your children!

Head injury in a child, “concussion” - Doctor Komarovsky - Emergency care