First off I would like to say, yes, we are going to see the doctor. I already understand the importance of a helmet. So now for my question.
Monday night my 13 yr old went over his handle bars while he was visiting his sister.He took a pretty good hit to the head. I took him to the ER and they did not do a scan as he just had one within 6 months for a surgery he had recently. So they watched him and sent us on our way.
So this is what has been going on and I am wondering if this is "normal" for this type of accident or am I being a worry wort mom.
He has been very crabby, agitated and frustrates easy. He is still dizzy on and off. He threw up once since Monday night. I am planning on getting him into the doc today, but just wondering if anyone knows what happens after a head injury. Online tells me all the same stuff for immediately following, nothing about 24 hours later. The ER's info sheet was no help.
Thanks in advance for any info anyone can give me.
We just returned from the doctor. He just has a pretty bad concussion and needs time to rest. He told him he CANNOT do anything for another week. Just rest! But, im glad I took him, now I can sleep better. Thanks everyone!
dizziness and vomiting are all signs of a concussion.
It is now Thursday and he's still not right? I would call the doctor and get him seen...after 72 hours, he should be okay. but he's not. get him checked out.
I would take him to the ER. It might be just concussion, but with vomitting and dizziness, it's better to be safe than sorry.
Sounds like somewhat normal for a concussion. My 9yo had 2 within about 8 months of each other last year. The first time he was taken from the ski slopes to the hospital in an ambulance after having been run over by a teenager on a snowboard and losing consciousness. He actually recovered from that one fairly quickly. The second time he tripped on a root and hit his head on a rock... that time he was headachey, dizzy, and somewhat nauseous for a week afterwards and actually missed a whole week of school. He was also moodier than usual for at least 6 months afterwards, but that could just as easily be impending adolescence as anything else. Definitely see your doctor ASAP, but try not to worry too much.
I don't want to scare you but the EXACT same thing happened to a friend of mine's child (16 yo) He fell off his bike and hit his head and went to the ER. They sent him home without a scan. Turns out that fluid was leaking in his brain-when they took him to the ER they immediately put him into surgery and gave him a 50/50 chance for survival. It was the same thing that happened to Natasha Richardson if you remember that. I would take him right now into the ER and insist on a scan...don't even mess around with going to his pediatrician. This is one of those instances where it is MUCH better to be safe than sorry. You would rather be over paranoid and have it be all right.
When I got a concussion in college, I was dizzy for almost a week, headaches, agitated, easily frustrated, easily distracted, difficult to focus...just very out of sorts. It felt like my life was blurry and I was on the periphery of the whole thing. It took over a week to feel myself again. I never saw a doctor; we had numerous EMTs on our residence life staff (I was on staff too) and it was finals week. :) I probably should have, though, and were such a thing to happen again, I certainly would. But anyway--the effects lasted at least a week; I recall not wanting to drive about 8 days later; I still felt too unreal to be behind a wheel.
I'd take him to the doctor again and I am not a mom that runs to the ER for every little injury. A head injury is not something you want to mess with.
PLEASE follow thru with this. I had THREE concussions before I turned ten years old.
I was "fine" but I've battled HORRIBLE migraines, TMJ and chronic pain ever since. Be sure to keep up with son after this. Don't brush off pains he may have later on. I JUST got mine under control 30 YEARS later. I have a great team of people I see that help me manage and control the pain I grew to accept for most of my life. I just thought pain was my NORM!
Just something to think about.
Good luck and hope he feels better soon.
