Patient education: Minor head injury in children and teens – ED discharge instructions (The Basics)

What are discharge instructions? — 

Discharge instructions are information about how to take care of your child after getting medical care in the emergency department ("ED").

What should I know? — 

Your child was seen in the ED for a minor head injury. They might have hit their head on a hard surface or been hit in the head with something.

The doctor thinks your child's head injury is not serious, and it is safe for them to recover at home. But sometimes, symptoms of serious injuries do not show up right away and instead happen hours or days later. It's important to watch for the problems listed below.

How do I care for my child at home? — 

Ask the doctor or nurse what you should do when you go home. Make sure you understand exactly what you need to do to care for your child. Ask questions if there is anything you do not understand.

You should also do the following:

●Call your child's regular doctor and tell them your child was in the ED. Make a follow-up appointment if you were told to.

●Help your child take all their medicines as instructed, if the doctor gave them any.

●Give your child non-prescription medicines to relieve pain, such as acetaminophen (sample brand name: Tylenol) or ibuprofen (sample brand names: Advil, Motrin). Never give aspirin to a child younger than 18 years old.

●The doctor might have told you to have someone stay with your child for the next 24 hours. They should watch your child for new or worsening symptoms. It is important they know when to get your child emergency help.

●If your child has bruising on their head, ice can help with pain and swelling. Apply a cold gel pack, bag of ice, or bag of frozen vegetables on their head every 1 to 2 hours, for 15 minutes each time. Put a thin towel between the ice (or other cold object) and their head.

●Until your child's symptoms go away:

•Help them rest their body. Do not let them do heavy exercise or any activity that could lead to another head injury (like sports or riding a bike or scooter). Help them get plenty of sleep.

•Help them rest their brain. Do not let them do anything that requires a lot of thought or focus. Have them avoid schoolwork, reading, and looking at screens.

When should I get emergency help?

●Call for emergency help right away (in the US and Canada, call 9-1-1) if your child:

•Gets very confused, cannot be woken up, or has trouble speaking

•Is not responding normally

•Has blood or clear liquid draining from their ears or nose

•Has a seizure

●Return to the ED if your child:

•Has trouble walking or moving

•Has trouble seeing

•Has trouble waking from sleep or staying awake

•Loses control of their bladder or bowels

•Vomits more than 4 to 6 hours after the injury

•Has a headache that is severe, gets worse, feels different, or does not get better with pain medicines

•Is a baby, and their soft spot is open and swollen

•Is crying and cannot be calmed

•Feels weak or numb in part of their body

When should I call the doctor? — 

Call for advice if your child:

●Has trouble concentrating, thinking clearly, or remembering things

●Feels dizzy

●Has a stiff neck

●Is not eating normally

●Has new or worsening symptoms

If any of the above symptoms seem severe, or if you are concerned about your child but cannot reach the doctor or nurse, seek emergency help. These things don't always mean there is a serious problem, but seeing a doctor or nurse is the only way to know for sure.

More on this topic

Patient education: Head injury in children and teens (The Basics)
Patient education: Head injury in babies and children under 2 years (The Basics)
Patient education: Head injury observation in children (The Basics)

Patient education: Head injury in children and adolescents (Beyond the Basics)