Signs Of A Concussion In Babies, Toddlers, and Children

Head and face injuries are prevalent among infants, toddlers, and young children. There are many reasons for this situation, such as climbing on trees, running while holding on to something, and playing contact sports. You can <a href="https://www.stleonardsdental.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">visit this website</a> if your young child needs urgent care for mouth injuries. In any case, severe bruises on the head or any signs of a concussion in babies are sometimes hard to tell. That is why parents or guardians need to know if the bump on their heads is more serious. Keep reading to learn about concussions in babies and children, including their prevention, treatment, and when to call a doctor.

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Head and face injuries are prevalent among infants, toddlers, and young children. There are many reasons for this situation, such as climbing on trees, running while holding on to something, and playing contact sports. You can visit this website if your young child needs urgent care for mouth injuries. In any case, severe bruises on the head or any signs of a concussion in babies are sometimes hard to tell. That is why parents or guardians need to know if the bump on their heads is more serious. Keep reading to learn about concussions in babies and children, including their prevention, treatment, and when to call a doctor.

Head Injury: What Is a Concussion?

A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that makes the brain stop functioning normally for a brief or permanent time. Usually, concussions happen because of head trauma, such as falling on the head or getting into a car accident.

What’s more, a concussion is particularly dangerous in young children since they most likely cannot reveal to you how they are feeling. Hence, you will have to watch them cautiously for any signs and side effects.

Furthermore, sometimes concussion symptoms do not appear immediately after serious head injuries. Common concussion symptoms may show up hours or even days after the injury.

The signs and symptoms of a concussion are always very similar for any age. However, for infants, toddlers, and older children, you might need to think a little better when trying to discover if they have a concussion.

Common Concussion Symptoms in Babies, Toddlers, and Older Children

Signs of Concussion in Babies

Infants have the most sensitive brains and the least communication capacity. It tends to be difficult to notice signs of a concussion in a baby.

Suppose your baby falls out of bed or encounters a head injury. Then, you should be watched closely for the following signs and symptoms:

Vomiting
Loss of consciousness
Excessive sleepiness
Inconsolable crying
Refusing to eat
Irritability
Pupillary changes
Prolonged periods of silence
Temporary loss of newly-learned abilities

Concussions can influence physical abilities and behaviors. So, check for a different pattern to see whether they do not reasonably appear themselves.

Signs of Concussion in Toddlers

Toddlers are simply getting the hang of balance and walking. Since they play and run a lot, they could quickly get hurt. Know that there are additionally a few more signs of concussion in toddlers. These include:

Lost consciousness
Refusing to eat
Tiring easily, listlessness
Excessive sleepiness
Crankiness, irritability
Nausea and vomiting
Drowsiness
Headache
Pupils that are bigger than usual, pupils of various sizes

If you see that their behaviors or feelings have changed, they might have concussions or brain injuries. Check their physical skills and always ask a medical professional about the things you notice. If before they knew how to hold a crayon but now cannot get a handle on it, that is the kind of thing to look out for.

Signs of Concussion in Older Children

Children more than 3 have more communication skills than babies and toddlers, so they might tell if they feel different or unusual after a head injury.

They likewise have more indications since their brain has developed more. Common symptoms of a concussion in children are:

Loss of consciousness
Blurry vision, sensitivity to light and noise, and dizziness
Poor balance
Trouble walking
Easily tired and listless
Somnolence or excessive sleepiness
Change in eating or sleeping patterns
Pupillary changes
Loss of interest in their favorite toys
Dazed appearance
Cranky and irritable
Excessive crying
Nausea and vomiting

Pay attention to your kids carefully for a couple of days after a head injury. If they tell you that their head feels weird or funny, they might have a concussion. Observe them during playtime and if they appear to wear out and lose interest in their toys. That case may indicate they have difficulty concentrating because of a concussion.

Diagnosis

Hospitals or care centers, like Palm Beach’s trusted medical center, Health on 21, can help you diagnose a concussion. The doctor will get some information about the symptoms, how and when the head injury happened. They will also conduct a physical exam and concentrate on the nervous system by testing coordination, balance, nerve function, and reflexes. At times, doctors use a computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scan to check for internal bleeding or other issues from the injury.

In addition, a few children who have head injuries from playing contact sports are examined by an athletic trainer or a coach right after the accident. This examination is called sideline concussion testing since it may occur on the sidelines during a game. This test will help the coach to know if immediate medical attention is necessary.

Another test that the schools or sports associations use is the baseline concussion test. This examines players toward the beginning of a sports season to quantify their typical brain function and capacity to handle data. After a potential injury, the sideline test will compare to the baseline test result to help doctors make a diagnosis, especially when there is a change in the function of their brain.

When To See a Doctor

Since indications of concussion in young children may not show up for a couple of days. You should seek medical attention or call your doctor immediately if your child encounters a head injury.

Anything more extensive than a light bump, even if the kid has no bleeding and does not need emergency care, should be looked at by a specialist. In any case, seek emergency care if your baby experiences the following indications:

Seizures
Repeated vomiting
A headache that gets exacerbated in the long run
Loss of mental concentration
Loss of consciousness longer than 30 seconds
Confusion, disorientation, or struggling to recognize people and places
Lasting or recurring dizziness
Changes in behavior like irritability
Changes in speech, such as slurring
Stumbling or clumsiness
Pupillary changes
Signs and symptoms that worsen after some time
Large head dents, bumps, or bruises on regions other than the forehead, particularly in newborn babies

If your child is encountering these side effects, do not allow them to fall asleep until a physician sees their condition.

Treatment for Concussion

Suppose the doctor diagnose your child with a concussion. In that case, here is what the doctor can accomplish for them.

The main principle for treating a brain injury is rest. Once the head is harmed, it requires time to heal, and it recovers by resting correctly. They need to avoid excessive physical activity and tasks that involve thinking and mental concentration, including:

Schoolwork
TV
Texting
Reading
Video games
Using a computer

These activities can trigger or worsen symptoms during recovery. If your kid is school age, you should speak with your child’s teacher about:

Frequent breaks during the day
Shortened school days
Reduced school workloads

Furthermore, during the healing process, your child can begin to do these activities again. Continue to observe their manifestations. You will know they are recovering when their symptoms disappear. And tasks that need physical and mental concentration no longer provoke their condition.

How To Prevent Concussions

All children should wear appropriately fitting, proper headgear and safety equipment when biking, skateboarding, rollerblading, skiing, or playing contact sports. Nothing can stop each concussion. However, safety equipment can help protect against serious head injuries.

Additionally, childproofing your home will go far toward guarding a baby or toddler safe from concussions and other injuries.

Babies reach, roll, sit, crawl, grasp, pull up, walk, and journey along with the furniture. They might pull themselves up through table legs, and they will go after whatever they can see. All these movements can cause a head injury that prompts a concussion. Hence, be sure your child has a safe spot to explore and have fun, and never leave a baby or child unattended.

Proper child car seats and seat belts should use each time your child is in the car. This safety action can help prevent head injuries in case of a car accident happens.

Furthermore, individuals are considerably more prone to sustain a concussion once they have had one before. That is why prevention is significantly more necessary after a head injury. Proof shows that repeated concussions can cause lasting brain damage, whether the injuries arise months or years apart.

Concussions are severe conditions that can be much more severe if children do not get the time and rest required to heal them totally. Safety measures can help avoid concussions, and following a doctor’s instruction can limit their impacts if they occur.