Head bumps are a way of life for small children. I think my son had a bump on his head from the time he turned one to about three years old on a regular basis. Just the other night my daughter was jumping around and tried to land on her giant stuffed teddy bear. Instead if landing on the best she banged her head on the coffee table. The result was a huge bump but thankfully no cut and no reason to visit the ER. Have you experienced this? Are you prepared?
How to Treat a Head Injury
Stay calm. Your child reacts to your emotions. If you panic your child will panic. Staying calm allows you to think clearly and comforts your child.
Ice pack. Put ice in a plastic bag and cover with a cloth. Gently apply to the bump for 20 minutes. Take a break for about five minutes and then continue for another 20 minutes. It can be hard for a child to sit that long do give a treat or allow him to watch a favorite show or movie.
Tylenol. You may give your child the proper dose of Tylenol to help relieve pain.
Stop bleeding. Gently apply pressure to stop the bleeding. You may do this with your ice pack. It may appear to be a lot of blood but that is only because of all the blood vessels in the head area. Rarely is a lot of blood actually lost. Please call your doctor or visit the ER if you believe stitches are needed.
When to go to the ER
Convulsions
Changes in speech: slurred words or inability to come up with the right words
Changes in hearing, smell or taste
Breathing that becomes slow or very shallow
Vomiting
Neck pain
Changes in level of consciousness (from alert to very sleepy or confused)