Op. from Medstar Topçular Hospital, Department of Brain, Nerve and Spinal Cord Surgery. Dr. Recep Eken gave information about head injuries seen in childhood and things to be careful about.
Head injuries are among the top 5 causes of disability and death in children. Head trauma; It is any damage to the scalp, skull, brain or other tissues and blood vessels in the head. Situations accompanied by post-traumatic brain damage can be defined as traumatic brain injury. Head trauma can be as minor as a blow, bruise, or cut to the head, or it can be serious, such as a concussion, a deep cut or open wound, broken skull bones, internal bleeding, or damage to the brain.
It is common in babies due to falls.
If the children are divided into 4 groups according to age; The first two years are infancy, 2-7 years are early childhood (play age), 7-14 years are school age, and 14-18 years are adolescence. Although their activities are minimal during infancy, it is observed that head injuries in this period generally occur after falling out of a stroller, falling out of bed, or after a violation or mistake by a sibling or someone carrying the child.
Children can get hit in the head while playing
Early childhood, the period between the ages of 2 and 7, is the period in which head traumas are most common. Since children in this age group are generally unable to think about the consequences of certain events, blows to the head may occur frequently while playing. Since children between the ages of 7 and 14 can protect themselves better, traumas seen in childhood may be replaced by unforeseen, more severe head injuries.
It is more common in hot weather
The risk of head trauma is high in young people. Head injuries occur twice as often in boys than in girls. Head injuries are more common in the spring and summer months, when children are very active in outdoor activities such as biking, roller skating or skateboarding. Children who participate in sports such as football, hockey and basketball also have a higher risk of concussion.
If there is any swelling or bruising on the head, it should be checked immediately.
When your child falls at home and hits his head, a general check-up should be done first. The area where it hit should be checked quickly for swelling or bruising. It should be carefully checked whether the child can express himself, whether he has a headache or vomiting, whether he tends to sleep, and whether his arm and leg movements are normal. In cases where these symptoms are not present, there is a low-severity head injury. In cases where swelling occurs, cold application can be applied to the trauma area and the child is observed. If you have one or more of the symptoms, you should consult a healthcare provider without wasting time. After grading the head injury as mild-moderate-severe, clinical examination and imaging tests are performed in the hospital. After the necessary intervention is performed, the necessary treatment plan, including surgery, is created according to the condition of the trauma.
What families should pay attention to to protect children from head trauma
1. In younger age groups, do not do excessive jumping, bouncing or shaking, which may cause babies to fall or have a concussion.
2. Take care to provide safe play environments for children.
3. Choose a safe sport. Make sure coaches teach and practice correct sports techniques to avoid head injuries. Also, pay attention to the fact that there are people at the relevant sports facility who know first aid and the first approach in case of concussion.
4. Check that children wear seat belts when getting into any vehicle. Make sure young children travel in a car seat or booster seat appropriate for their age and weight.
5. Make sure children always wear the correct helmet when playing sports, cycling, skating, skateboarding or skiing.
6. Do not forget to secure large items in the house that could fall on the child.
7. Take precautions to prevent especially young children from accessing the stairs.
8. Create solutions to prevent children from reaching high places such as counters and tables.