*URGENT* Head injury in 2-year old- call doc/ER???

[Amila]

So my 2 year old DS has been pretty cranky all week- had croup/cold, and has just been screaming/crying a lot- I figured maybe it was molars and being sick. He is now mostly over the cold. This evening my cat ran out so i grabbed her and opened the door kind of fast, not knowing my ds was standing right behind it. It completely knocked him down and he fell and hit his head on our cork flooring. Ever since then he has been mostly inconsolable, and restless. He keeps holding the back of his head and saying "ow." He just finally fell asleep. No other weird signs of anything. This is a kid who hits his head ALL.THE.TIME and like I said he HAS been pretty cranky lately...what should I do?

I really don't want to subject his to a catscan or anything, but obviously am worried. Thoughts?

[LaLaLaLa]

I've only once brought either of my kids to the ER, and it was when my son knocked his head really hard against a chair leg. I figured he was okay, but then I was looking into his eyes and they looked funny to me--not tracking together or something. It was too early for the doctor's office to be open, so I took him to the ER.

When I got there they rushed me in ahead of all of the other people waiting and we saw the pediatric doctor on duty. He pretty much just looked at DS and checked his eyes with a flashlight. At that point things were okay with his eyes; they seemed more concerned with getting him undressed and looking over the rest of his body (checking for signs of abuse, I'm sure). They didn't even suggest a CAT scan or anything, but I felt reassured having someone else look at him.

Good luck whatever you decide to do! Hugs to you and your little one.

[Fletchersmama]

I hate to say don't go, since I'm not there to trust my gut, but that's what I do with my kiddos - listen to my gut.

What are the signs of a concussion? (from webMD)

Concussions can be tricky to diagnose. Though you may have a visible cut or bruise on your head, you can't actually see a concussion. Signs may not appear for days or weeks after the injury. Some symptoms last for just seconds; others may linger.

Concussions are fairly common. Some estimates say a mild brain trauma is sustained every 21 seconds in the U.S. But it's important to recognize the signs of a concussion so you can take the proper steps to treat the injury.

There are some common physical, mental, and emotional symptoms a person may display following a concussion. Any of these could be a sign of traumatic brain injury:

* confusion or feeling dazed
* clumsiness
* slurred speech
* nausea or vomiting
* headache
* balance problems or dizziness
* blurred vision
* sensitivity to light
* sensitivity to noise
* sluggishness
* ringing in ears
* behavior or personality changes
* concentration difficulties
* memory loss


I'll like to repeat myself though: listen to your own instincts!!! If something is telling you this is different than all those other times he's hit his head, go to the ER.

[LaurieG]

One thing to add to the PP, if you choose to watch and see and he is asleep make sure you are either sleeping in the same room or checking on him every hour or 2. You'll want to be sure he is looking and breathing normally if you are concerned about a concussion. I think some medical professionals recommend actually waking a child but the one's I've consulted with in similar situations say that's not necessary as long as you are looking and listening for red flags through the night.

[SquishyKitty]

Truthfully, I would take him in just to get him checked out to ease your mind. It's likely that it's nothing, but head injuries aren't something that I like to mess around with.

Do you have a nurse advice line you can call? We've used ours a bunch of times, and after they go through a bunch of questions with you, they can usually recommend that you either wait it out or go in.

If they don't think it's urgent, ours can also book an appt for the next day if necessary.

[gilamama]

putting rescue remedy or rescue creamon head bumps has helped us alot hope your lo is okay

[Amila]

Thanks! I ended up just sleeping with him, and making sure he was ok, and he woke up this AM perfectly fine and happy. Phew! Thanks for all your advice