Sometimes it happens before parents can react: the child slips in the park or trips while going down the stairs, and in these falls, he or she may hit his or her head.
However, it is not always possible to immediately determine whether the child has only hit his or her head or whether the brain has also been injured. Parents should therefore observe their child for 24 hours and not leave him or her alone, advises the German Brain Foundation.
This is because the symptoms of a concussion, i.e. a mild head injury, can develop with a delay, even after a few hours. For example, when the small bruises under the skull slowly increase in size and press on the brain.
If after a fall the child appears confused, disoriented, or unconscious for a long period of time, vomits, or does not react correctly, you must act quickly.
Seizures and neurological deficits such as paralysis, vision, speech, or smell disorders are also warning signs. Parents should take the child to an emergency room immediately.
Usually, the all-clear is given if they return to playing normally after the scare and do not show any abnormalities. But even then, parents should continue to observe their children.
Older people should also be monitored if they hit their head in a fall. Older adults fall more quickly and are more susceptible to injury. Due to pre-existing diseases, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, they have more sensitive blood vessels, including in the head.
In addition, medications often taken by older people to inhibit blood clotting can cause even minor impacts on the head to trigger a hemorrhage in the brain.