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Most of the time, the falls are not serious and in the place where the head was hit, there is usually only a slight swelling, known as "bump", or hematoma that usually passes in 2 weeks, not being necessary to go to the emergency room. .
However, there are also situations that require greater attention, and the child should be taken to the emergency room, especially if he loses consciousness or is vomiting.
When the child falls and hits his head, it is advised:
- Try to calm the child, keeping speech as calm as possible;
- Observe the child for 24 hours to see if there is swelling or deformity in any part of the head, as well as unusual behavior;
- Apply a cold compress or ice to the area of the head where it hit, for about 20 minutes, repeating 1 hour later;
- Apply an ointment, such as hirudoid, for hematoma, on the following days.
Generally, with the application of ice and ointment, the hematoma disappears about 2 weeks after the fall. However, if the child has a clotting problem or is undergoing any treatment that causes platelet reduction, it is necessary to seek medical attention as soon as possible, even if the blow was apparently light, as there is a greater risk of bleeding.
When to go to the hospital
After the child hits the head, call 192 or seek emergency medical attention if any of the following alert situations occur:
- Loss of consciousness;
- Vomiting immediately after the fall or even hours later;
- Excessive crying that does not stop even with the mother's affection;
- Difficulty moving an arm or leg;
- Wheezing or very slow breathing;
- Complaints of altered vision;
- Difficulty walking or loss of balance;
- Purplish eyes;
- Behavior changed.
Some of these signs may indicate that the child has suffered a head trauma and, therefore, it is important to start treatment as soon as possible to avoid sequelae.
In addition, it is advisable to go to the doctor if the child has a bleeding wound or an open wound, as suture may be necessary.
It is important not to forget to take the child's documents, explain exactly what happened and inform the doctors if the child has any type of illness or allergy.
What to do if the child does not breathe
In cases where the child hits the head, becomes unconscious and does not breathe, it is important to follow the following steps:
- Asking for help: if you are alone you should ask for help by shouting out loud "I need help! The child is passed out!"
- Call 192 immediately, letting them know what happened, location and name. If another person is nearby, the call to the medical emergency must be made by that person;
- Permeabilize the airways, laying the child face up on the floor and lifting the chin back;
- Take 5 breaths into the child's mouth to help air reach the child's lungs;
- Start cardiac massage, making compression movements in the center of the chest, between the nipples. In babies and children under 1 year of age it is recommended to use both thumbs instead of hands. See how to do cardiac massage correctly;
- Repeat 2 breaths in the child's mouth between every 30 cardiac massages.
The cardiac massage should be maintained until the ambulance arrives, the child breathes again or until exhaustion. If there is another person nearby who feels capable of doing cardiac massages, you can alternate with that person to rest and keep the compressions for longer.
How to prevent the child from hitting the head
To prevent a fall and prevent the child from hitting the head, some precautions must be taken, such as preventing babies from being alone on the bed, not placing the baby comfort on very tall counters or benches, supervising young children when they are on more level surfaces. tall, like high chairs or strollers.
It is also important to protect windows with bars and screens, to supervise children in places that have a ladder and to ensure that older children wear helmets when riding bicycles, skates or skateboards, for example.