Identifying the Signs of Head Injury and Concussion

 

One of the most common outcomes of an injury to the head is a concussion. Though concussions are often associated with loss of consciousness, their other effects on the body may be far more insidious. Observe and talk to anyone who has suffered head trauma to discover if they are experiencing any of the following symptoms.

 

Headache

Ongoing pain after a head injury could indicate the presence of a concussion. Concussive headaches tend to differ from normal headaches in that they often get worse over time. Usually, pain will be felt as either a migraine or a tension headache, in which a person feels pressure on one side of their head.

 

Nausea

After a head injury, a person may vomit or feel sick. This is often an early-onset symptom of concussion, meaning it appears directly after the injury. If someone feels nauseous after a blow to the head, have that person sit down and put their head between their knees. Usually, but not always, feelings of nausea will disappear within a few minutes.

 

Dizziness

Loss of balance is another sign of concussion. Injury to the head can induce dizziness or even vertigo by causing damage to the inner ear. Signs of dizziness may include stumbling, unfocused eyes, poor hand-eye coordination, and hearing a nonexistent tone.

 

Amnesia and Confusion

Concussions are also associated with amnesia. This memory loss can affect recall of the time either before or after the injury. Anterograde amnesia, or loss of memory after a blow to the head, is often the most persistent symptom of a concussion. Even if the injured person doesn’t experience full-blown amnesia, he or she may exhibit confusion. An Edmonton lawyer from Cummings Andrews Mackay LLP, who often advises clients that have suffered a traumatic injury, says confusion and other signs of mental impairmentare some of the most definite indicators of a concussive injury. Symptoms of an impaired mental state include vague answers to questions, trouble focusing, difficulty in making decisions, and disorientation.

 

Be aware that some of these symptoms may not present themselves until a few days after the injury has occurred. Also, the length of time they persist is variable from person to person, sometimes lasting for months. It’s important that anyone exhibiting any sign of a concussion seeks medical attention immediately.

 

A concussive event not only kills brain cells, but it makes other cells in the brain more vulnerable to long-term damage. Therefore, anybody who has suffered a head injury should minimize their physical activity until all symptoms have completely disappeared.

 

 

Categories: concussion, head injury, identifying, signs

Top 5 Ways to Prevent a Head Injury in Your Infant

As a parent of an infant, you may wonder what you can do to keep your baby as safe as possible. Along with making sure your baby eats, wets diapers as he or she should, and gets enough sleep at night, you can also safeguard your infant by knowing how to prevent infant head injuries. You might believe that head injuries are restricted for adults and older children; however, infants can and sometimes do fall victim to accidents that result in either external or internal skull injuries. You can learn what to do to make sure this injury does not befall your baby by taking these suggestions into consideration.

 

1) Control Your Infant’s Head

This suggestion sounds comical; however, it is also necessary for you to control your baby’s head, particularly during his or her early infancy. Babies do not have good head and neck control during early infancy. Their heads are too heavy for their bodies to support.

 

A baby whose head is allowed to loll back and forth could hit his or her head on the floor or a crib railing, resulting in an injury. You can prevent this injury by supporting your baby’s head while you hold him or her, as well as laying your baby on a padded blanket while he or she is on the floor or in the crib.

 

 

2) Keep Your Baby Away from Heavy Objects

You may think nothing of laying your baby on the floor in front of the TV stand or in front of a bookcase. However, if the stand or case falls over, it will land on your baby and hurt him or her. Many babies are hurt each year by falling objects. A book falling off a case or a figurine falling from a shelf can significantly injure an infant. You should avoid putting your baby near such fixtures.

 

 

3) Watch Older Siblings

If you have a baby and a toddler in your house, the toddler’s curiosity about the baby may inadvertently lead to the baby being hurt. While your toddler may not mean to hurt your infant, he or she may throw something or hit the baby and cause the baby to suffer a head injury.

 

Many babies are hurt each year because of an older toddler sibling inadvertently acting out against the infant. While your children are young, they should be properly supervised, and your toddler should be told as much as possible to be nice to the baby rather than hitting or throwing things at the infant.

 

 

4) Use Car Seats

This tip also seems absurd, given how much a public awareness push there has been lately regarding the proper use of car seats for infants. Even so, many parents brush off these warnings and instead put their babies on their laps or in the front seat while they drive. You can prevent your baby sustaining a head injury by using a car seat every time you and your baby get in a car.

 

 

5) Protect Against Shaken Baby Syndrome

While you may never hurt your baby, other people could put your baby at risk if they shake the infant. If your spouse, partner, child, babysitter, or anyone else shakes your baby, your infant could suffer irreversible brain injuries.

 

You should educate yourself, your family, and everyone who comes into contact with your infant about shaken baby syndrome. This suggestion cannot be understated. Babies die every year because they are shaken by someone who is supposed to love and care for them.

 

 

Better Safe than Sorry

If you are in an accident, if your baby falls or otherwise has sustained an injury, seek medical attention. According to manhattanaccidentattorneys.net, what you think is a minor accident can actually be much more serious than you think. Brain injuries often do not show symptoms. It is very important to visit a doctor if you are in any situation where you think your baby may have been hurt.

 

These ideas can help you safeguard your baby’s health. You can follow these suggestions to protect your infant against internal and external head injuries.

 

 

Writer Melanie Fleury is the mother of four children and has been involved in an accident with all four in the car. While there were no visual injuries to her family, she made sure to follow up with a doctor to ensure that her children were injury free. The attorneys at manhattanaccidentattorneys.net stress that a injury can often take time before symptoms start to surface. Make sure to seek proper medical attention as soon as possible.

 

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/footloosiety/5465554441/

Categories: baby syndrome, car seats, early infancy, head injuries, head injury, infant, injuries nbsp, medical attention, nbsp nbsp, prevent, shaken baby