If you or a loved one was recently in a car accident or suffered another personal injury, a head concussion (classified as a traumatic brain injury) could very well be an injury a child in the vehicle has sustained. Adult diagnosis is often very straightforward because adults can describe what they are experiencing.
In children, these signs and symptoms are not always straightforward because children can often not verbalize what they are feeling. According to theMayo Clinic, non-verbal cues in children are:
-
Appearing dazed
-
Listlessness and tiring easily
-
Irritability and crankiness
-
Loss of balance and unsteady walking
-
Crying excessively
-
Change in eating or sleeping patterns
-
Lack of interest in favorite toys
If your child was involved in an auto accident and these symptom are persistent after 1-2 days, follow up with your child’s pediatrician.
If the following symptoms occur after a head injury, seek emergency care immediately:
-
Vomiting
-
Loss of consciousness longer than 30 seconds
-
A headache that gets worse over time
-
Changes in behavior, such as irritability
-
Changes in physical coordination, such as stumbling or clumsiness
-
Confusion or disorientation, such as difficulty recognizing people or places
-
Slurred speech or other changes in speech
-
Seizures
-
Vision or eye disturbances, such as pupils that are bigger than normal (dilated pupils) or pupils of unequal sizes
-
Lasting or recurrent dizziness
-
Obvious difficulty with mental function or physical coordination
-
Symptoms that worsen over time
-
Large head bumps or bruises on areas other than the forehead in children, especially in infants under 12 months of age
If you or your child were injured in a motor vehicle accident and suffered from a concussion, our CT injury lawyers can help you protect your rights. Contact our firm today to schedule your free consultation.