Head injury advice leaflet for parents/guardians (under 5 year olds)

Royal Hospital for Children for Patients, Carers & Visitors
NHS GGC

Head injury observation instructions for parents and guardians - children under 5 years old

Following a head injury, you should keep your child under adult supervision for the next 24 hours. If any concern arises that he/she is developing a problem, please seek advice from this Emergency Department or, if necessary, make arrangements to bring him/her back to hospital.

Emergency Department, Royal Hospital for Children
1345 Govan Road, G51 4TF
Telephone: Majors Department: 0141 452 4055

 

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The signs that you should look out for are:

If your child becomes unusually sleepy or is hard to wake up

  • Headache all the time, despite painkillers.
  • Repeated vomiting
  • Weakness of arms or legs, e.g. unable to hold things
  • Difficulty in seeing, walking, or acts clumsy and uncoordinated.
  • Confusion (not knowing where he/she is, getting things muddled up).
  • Fluid or blood coming from ear or nose.
  • Fits (convulsions or seizures)
  • Any other abnormal behaviour.

Your child should be allowed to sleep as normal. We would encourage you to arrange to observe him/her on a couple of occasions overnight to check:

  • Does he/she appear to be breathing normally?
  • Is he/she sleeping in a normal posture?
  • Does he/she make the expected response when you rouse him/her gently? (e.g. pulling up sheets, cuddling teddy-bear)
  • If you cannot satisfy yourself that your child is sleeping normally, he/she should be wakened fully to be checked.

If you are concerned about any of the above or have any other worries please contact Royal Hospital for Children, Emergency Department

Telephone 0141 452 4055

REMEMBER TO GIVE YOUR CHILD PAINKILLERS FOLLOWING THE
INSTRUCTIONS ON THE BOTTLE