Head Injury, Age 3 and Younger

Emergencies

Yes	Does your child have any of the following symptoms that require emergency treatment? Call 911 or other emergency services immediately.

• Breathing stops for more than a few seconds. Call 911 or other emergency services and begin rescue breathing.
• Loss of consciousness at any time after the injury
• A deformity of the skull, such as a sunken spot (other than the normal soft spots), bone fragments, or exposed brain
• A wound penetrates the skull, such as a knife or gunshot wound (open head injury). Do not remove objects from the wound.
• Seizure. Protect the child from injury during the seizure.
• Signs of shock
• Severe bleeding does not slow during the first 5 minutes of direct pressure. See how to stop bleeding.
• Signs of a spinal injury:
  • Inability to move part of the body (paralysis), such as an arm or leg
  • Weakness in the arms or legs
• Signs of a serious head injury:
  • Confusion or not acting normal, such as extreme fussiness or uncontrollable crying
  • Difficulty waking up or extreme sleepiness
  • In older children, difficulty speaking or slurred speech
  • Difficulty breathing or gasping respirations
  • Symptoms that affect one side of the body more than the other side, such as weakness or difficulty moving an arm or leg
  • Changes in the eyes, such as crossed eyes, droopy eyelids (usually just one eyelid), or difficulty using the eyes
  • Abnormal eye movements, such as jerking motions or the eyes not working together
  • Seizure
  • Severe stiff neck

Check Your Symptoms

If you answer yes to any of the following questions, click on the "Yes" in front of the question for information about how soon to see a health professional.

Review health risks that may increase the seriousness of your child's symptoms.

Yes	Has your child had a head injury?
Yes	Does your child have bleeding from the head or face after a head injury?
Yes	Does your child have any signs of a skull fracture?
Yes	Does your child have signs of severe pain?
Yes	Has your child vomited after having a head injury?
Yes	Do you think your child's head injury was caused by abuse or neglect?
Yes	Does your child have symptoms of a concussion?

Other Symptoms to Watch For

Does your child have any of the following symptoms?

• A cut: Go to the topic Cuts.
• Neck problems: Go to the topic Neck Problems and Injuries.
• Fever: Go to the topic Fever, Age 3 and Younger.
• Other injuries: Go to the Related Information section of this topic.

If a visit to a health professional is not needed immediately, see the Home Treatment section for self-care information.

Go to previous section	Go to top of page	Go to next section
Author:	Sydney Youngerman-Cole, RN, BSN, RNC	Last Updated: July 12, 2006
Medical Review:	William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics Thomas Emmett Francoeur, MDCM, CSPQ, FRCPC - Pediatrics
© 1995-2008 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.