In the article, we consider the symptoms of concussion in a child of 3 years.
Children by nature are very agile and inquisitive, often they forget about the sense of self-preservation, which inevitably leads to various dangerous situations. At the age of three, various injuries occur quite often. In some cases, a stroke or fall can result in a concussion. It is important for parents to know the signs of this pathology and be able to recognize them in time for first aid.
Symptoms and treatment of concussion in a child will be described below.
Pathology Description
A combination of circumstances during a fall or impact can lead to traumatic brain injury. In a mild form, this pathology is accompanied by a violation of the integrity of tissues, membranes, vessels and nerves. This condition is characterized as a concussion. The bones of the skull remain intact.
In childhood, concussion has certain features that are caused by an organ that is in the process of formation. The brain of the child has a high degree of plasticity, which allows you to compensate for the blow. However, disruption of the organ has serious pathological consequences in the future. Several theories stand out that explain the processes occurring in the brain during concussion. The vasomotor theory associates concussion with a disturbance in the blood circulation of the brain, which occurs against the background of vasospasm, ischemia, and hyperemia.
Many parents are interested in what symptoms of a concussion in a child are? About it further.
Shaking mechanisms
Medicine explains the mechanisms of concussion with the following theories:
1. Hydrodynamic, when the resulting injury causes a rapid movement of the fluid of the spinal cord, which provokes stretching and irritation of adjacent brain centers.
2. Vibrational, when molecular changes occur due to vibration upon impact.
Regardless of the processes that caused the concussion, this pathological condition requires immediate medical attention.
Symptoms of concussion in a child 3 years old
Bones are located in the child’s skull, which have the property of cushioning in contact with heavy objects. This property of bone structures helps protect the brain from injury. It is important to carefully monitor the condition of the child if he is still injured. In some cases, the symptoms of concussion in a 3-year-old child do not appear immediately, but after a certain time.
During injury, a short-term loss of consciousness occurs, which may not even be noticed.
The clinical manifestations of concussion vary in different age groups, so, in particular, it is difficult to diagnose a pathology in a nursing infant due to the similarity of the symptoms to other diseases. The situation is simpler with older children, as they can describe existing complaints.
The general signs of concussion can be very diverse and affect many body systems. Symptoms of concussion in a 3-year-old child can occur singly or in combination. After injury, you should pay attention to the following manifestations of concussion:
1. Loss of consciousness, amnesia, dizziness, flickering before the eyes.
2. Rapid breathing, pressure drops, hyperhidrosis.
3. Strengthening heart rate, weakness, tinnitus.
4. Violation of motor coordination.
All this is an occasion to seek medical help.
Symptoms of a mild concussion in a child are divided into early and late.
Early symptoms
It is important to know the first signs of a concussion in order to provide timely assistance to the affected child. Immediately after injury, the following complaints are observed:
1. Vomiting.
2. Pale skin.
3. A sharp reddening of the skin on the face.
4. Pain in the head.
5. Fainting.
6. Bleeding from the nose.
7. Increased or slowed heart rate.
8. Impaired respiratory function.
These are common early symptoms of a concussion in a child at 3 years old.
For newborn children with a concussion, a state of overexcitation and increased activity of movements is characteristic. The child can cry and scream a lot, not sleep.
Symptoms of concussion in a child up to a year can be very difficult to recognize.
At an older age, the initial signs of concussion are:
1. Disorientation.
2. Hyperhidrosis.
3. Dizziness.
4. Hematoma.
5. Drowsiness.
6. Lack of concentration during eye contact.
7. Transient blindness.
8. Lethargy and weakness.
9. Tinnitus.
Consider the symptoms of concussion in a child at 2 years old.
At this age, the baby himself can talk about the injury or show in which place he hurts. If children under one year old during a concussion usually do not lose consciousness, then at the age of 2 to 10 years they more often observe loss of consciousness, vomiting and dizziness immediately after an impact.
How to determine concussion in a child older than two years? Pay attention to:
Dizziness, headache.
Loss of consciousness.
Tearfulness.
Vomiting, nausea.
Slow heartbeat.
Sweating.
Restless sleep.
Pallor of the skin.
It is important to pay special attention to the pupils of the affected child. Shaking eyes may lose sensitivity to light exposure and may not respond to other external stimuli. In addition, the pupils of the child react to the concussion as follows:
1. Asynchronous movements.
2. Narrowing or expansion.
3. Twitching.
4. Involuntary movements.
5. Strabismus.
6. Change in the shape of the pupils.
7. Different sizes of the left and right pupil.
The latter indicates a severe concussion.
Late symptoms
Sometimes a child’s injury goes unnoticed. In the absence of appropriate treatment, the symptoms become less pronounced. The later symptoms of concussion in a child at 2 years of age appear cyclically and are lingering. Late symptoms include:
1. Anorexia.
2. Apathy.
3. Sensitivity to light and loud sounds.
4. Pain in the head of a aching character.
5. Sleep disturbance and drowsiness.
6. Lethargy and weakness.
7. mood swings.
8. Tearfulness, resentment and vulnerability.
So the symptoms of concussion in a child of 4 years are manifested.
In a newborn baby, shaking can have consequences in the form of refusal to eat, frequent regurgitation, moods and anxiety. At an older age, the child may not remember what happened. In addition, secondary signs of concussion are:
1. Fear of the light.
2. Nightmares.
3. Irritability.
4. Insomnia.
5. Short temper.
6. Increased fatigue.
7. Lack of reaction to the words of the parents.
These symptoms require you to see a doctor to find out their nature.
First aid
After injury, parents should carefully consider the condition of the child. Symptoms of concussion in a child of 5 years are easier to recognize. The kid can already describe his feelings.
Do not allow panic, fuss, upset or scare the child. It is important to question him, if possible, about existing complaints and the reasons for what happened. It is necessary to call an ambulance and, pending the arrival of doctors, it is not recommended to do the following:
1. Conduct self-treatment.
2. Shake the child with loss of consciousness.
3. Lay the baby on his back.
4. Leave the child unattended.
5. Give anesthetics.
6. Independently take the child to a medical facility.
If a child after an injury has lost consciousness, and he has vomited, it is allowed to lay him on one side before the doctors arrive. The legs should be bent at the knees, and the arms should be located under the head. The position of the child must be stable. Next, parents need to take the following steps:
1. Inspect the head for bone damage.
2. If there is a wound, it is treated with an antiseptic solution. It can be hydrogen peroxide or chlorhexidine.
3. Put a bandage on the wound.
4. Apply ice to the injured area.
5. Do not let the baby sleep.
6. Limit movement.
7. Keep the child's condition under control.
The signs and symptoms of concussion in a child should be known to every parent.
It is advisable that parents master the technique of artificial respiration, as well as indirect heart massage. This may be necessary for resuscitation before the arrival of doctors. After calling an ambulance, parents should:
1. In case of fainting, lay the baby so that the head is not higher than the torso.
2. Measure your heart rate.
3. Determine the presence of palpitations and breathing.
4. Inspect the child for fractures and injuries of other parts of the body.
5. Ask witnesses to the incident, if any.
Doctors will also conduct an initial examination of the child and hospitalize him with his parents, who must provide a full history of the victim.
Diagnostics
Upon injury, the child is consulted by a pediatrician, traumatologist, neurologist and surgeon. In addition, a blood test and a visit to an ophthalmologist are prescribed to check the fundus. In some cases, instrumental studies are required, including:
1. Ultrasound examination. Helps determine the state of brain tissue.
2. Neurosonography. Detects the presence of hematomas, hemorrhages and edema.
If the child’s age allows for a wider range of studies, the following instrumental methods are prescribed to assess the severity of the concussion:
1. Radiography. Shows the presence of bone damage in the skull.
2. Magnetic resonance imaging. Allows to identify hemorrhages and neoplasms.
3. Electroencephalography. Identifies areas of the brain in which increased activity is observed.
4. Lumbar puncture, which is a sampling of material for the study of fluid from the spinal cord.
5. Echoencephalography. Shows the state of the cerebral ventricles, the presence of hematomas or displacements.
Depending on the symptoms and examination data, the severity of the concussion is determined. Doctors will always offer the option of hospitalization if a child has a brain pathology of any severity. However, if it is a mild case, outpatient observation may be suggested.
Treatment
To avoid possible complications, if a child under the age of 6 years has been found to have a concussion, he will be hospitalized for treatment under medical supervision. Therapy is prescribed only on the basis of the results of the study. If the child has wounds or abrasions, antiseptic treatment is performed and a bandage is applied. Concussion treatment involves the following measures:
1. Compliance with bed rest and rest.
2. Cooling the bruised area with ice.
3. Emotional peace.
4. Saturation of brain tissue with oxygen.
In addition, some medications are added to the treatment, the action of which is aimed at normalizing the energy and metabolic processes in the brain, as well as at preventing edema and establishing a psychoemotional state. For this purpose, the following groups of drugs are used:
1. Nootropic.
2. Containing potassium.
3. Sedative.
4. Antihistamines.
5. Diuretics.
6. Painkillers.
7. Vitamins.
8. Stopping vomiting.
The treatment for the concussion is quite lengthy and should continue after discharge from the hospital. In stationary conditions, the main task is to prevent possible complications. After discharge, it is recommended to observe bed rest for another two weeks. Recommendations for staying at home are similar to stationary conditions. Experts add to this the refusal to watch TV and computer games.
Drug treatment
Conservative treatment of concussion symptoms in children at 3 years old aims to improve the general condition of a sick child. All this helps prevent the consequences of injury. The most commonly prescribed drugs are:
1. Nootropics aimed at improving blood circulation in the brain and metabolic processes - Pantogam, Cavinton.
2. Diuretics that prevent swelling - "Diacarb", "Furosemide."
3. Sedatives that contribute to the removal of nervous excitability - "Tenoten children", "Phenibut."
4. Potassium-containing ones allow you to adjust blood pressure indicators and prevent increased fatigue - "Asparkam", "Panangin".
5. To accelerate recovery from injury, children are prescribed various vitamin complexes, such as Pikovit, Alphabet, etc.
In addition, symptomatic treatment is carried out, including:
1. Anesthetics - “Baralgin”, “Sedalgin”.
2. "Cerucal", preventing vomiting.
3. Antihistamines with hypnotic effect - “Diazolin”, “Suprastin”.
"Pantogam" is allowed to appoint children from the first days of life. The drug is made in the form of a sweet syrup and is often used in neonatological practice when caring for premature babies. Nootropic drugs have several features. They help increase brain activity by improving memory, as well as providing an anticonvulsant and sedative effect. Pantogam treatment can be lengthy and can be as long as six months.
Aftershock
With timely contact with a specialist, as well as with the identification of a mild form of concussion, the treatment will prevent the consequences and complications as much as possible. In this case, it will be possible to avoid the negative impact of damage on the nervous system of the child.
With a concussion, characterized as moderate or severe, there is a risk of developing the following complications:
1. Dementia or dementia.
2. Hypertensive crisis.
3. The appearance of neurosis, accompanied by intrusive tics and movements.
4. Violation of the quality of memory.
5. Dizziness.
6. Insomnia.
7. Hallucinations.
8. Convulsive syndrome.
Failure to timely treat injuries sustained by a child in childhood can cause serious consequences in the future. The most common complications of concussion in adulthood are:
1. Dependence on weather conditions.
2. The appearance of various phobias.
3. Low concentration of attention.
4. Concussion in a protracted form.
5. Strong emotional excitability.
6. Vegetovascular dystonia.
7. Asthenia.
8. The tendency to develop a depressive state.
9. Hypersensitivity to infectious lesions.
10. Violation of speech function.
11. Anxiety.
12. Migraines.
13. Epileptic seizures.
This article examined the symptoms and treatment of concussion in a child. Such information will certainly be useful for parents, carers and relatives of young children.