Head Injury

We have found no signs that your (or your child's) head injury is serious at the present time. It is necessary to be aware that sign of a serious head injury may not develop for up to several days. This is especially true in the elderly or for people taking blood thinners.

What do I need to do?

• Tonight you need to wake the person who hurt their head and talk to them every 2 hours. The next night you may let them sleep through the night, unless your doctor tells you something different.
• Let them eat what they usually do unless the doctor tells you something different.
• If they have a headache you may give them some acetaminophen (Tylenol) according to the directions and if they are not allergic to it. If you are unsure of the right amount ask for an instruction sheet about acetaminophen or ask the doctor or pharmacist.

Do not give them any medication that is a sedative, tranquilizer or narcotic (Demerol, codeine, morphine) or anything with alcohol in it, for the next 48 hours, unless the doctor tells you it is O.K.

Return to the Emergency Department IF:

• Have repetitive vomiting

• Changes that continue in how they see like: seeing double or things are blurry

• Get a headache. A mild headache is often seen after a head injury
• If your headache changes
• Hard time walking (clumsy) or using their hands to do things
• They are confused or really sleepy at a time when they usually are not tired. Hard time to get them awake
• Blood or clear fluid dripping from their ears or nose
• Seizure
• Unable to talk clearly
• Behavior change: usually calm/happy - becomes more irritable, "hard to handle" or very quiet when usually active.