About your visit
Your child has hit their head and there is a risk that your child has a concussion. We have spoken to you about precautions to take over the coming days.
When you get home
Monitor your child closely for the first 24 hours
Any concussion will typically appear within the first 24 hours. It is therefore important that you monitor your child closely for the first 24 hours.
Sleep in the same room as your child the first night and observe how your child reacts. Your child should wake up and react as normal.
Expect headaches and other mild symptoms
If your child has had a blow to the head, the following symptoms are possible:
- Headache.
- Nausea.
- Vomiting.
- Dizziness.
- Trouble concentrating.
- Fatigue.
- Memory loss.
- Confusion.
Dial 1813 for the medical helpline if your child’s condition deteriorates
In very rare cases, your child may begin feel worse after arriving home. Dial 1813 immediately for the medical helpline if you feel anxious about your child’s condition or if your child:
- has a worsening headache
- gives incorrect answers and rambles.
Dial 112 if your child develops these symptoms
Dial 112 if your child develops one or several of these symptoms:
- Listlessness or is harder than usual to wake.
- Increasing nausea and repeated vomiting.
- Difficulty seeing clearly.
- Difficulty controlling arms and legs.
- Pupils of different sizes.
- Cramps.
Give your child pain-relieving medicine, if necessary
You can give your child pain-relieving medicine if they are in pain. Pain-relieving medicine for children can be bought over the counter. Only give the child the amount of pain reliever recommended on the package.
Try to get your child to rest
Children are usually good at knowing their own limits. However, we recommend that the child is encouraged to take a nap or lay down whenever they need it, e.g. when your child is tired or wants to sleep.
Help your child avoid mental exertion
As long as your child displays symptoms of a concussion, it is important to limit:
- physical activity, such as sports and visits to playgrounds
- screen time in front of computers, television and similar
- reading
- loud music.
These activities can resume gradually as your child’s health improves. Your child may also gradually begin attending school or preschool again.
Notify the school or preschool
Some children experience memory, learning or concentration difficulties after hitting their head and possibly suffering concussion. It is therefore a good idea to inform the school or preschool about what happened.
Contact your child's general practitioner if symptoms continue
It takes some children longer to recover. If after two weeks your child continues to display symptoms of concussion, e.g. headaches, trouble with memory, or irritability, contact your general practitioner or dial 1813 to reach the medical helpline outside your general practitioner’s opening hours.
Worth knowing