The head is often injured during a motor vehicle accident. It may hit by the side window of the vehicle, the dashboard or be impacted by flying debris. Head injuries in children are particularly concerning. The effects may be more difficult to diagnose in young children who can’t describe their symptoms. Because a child’s brain is still developing, there are also long-term considerations to take into account when a traumatic brain injury is suspected.

Dr. Greg Vigna is a motor vehicle injury lawyer, father and rehabilitation doctor here to help you and provide legal advice after your auto accident.

Common Signs of Child Head Injury

There are several ways doctors can determine if your child’s head was impacted during a car accident. If there was any loss of consciousness during the accident, it is likely that there was trauma to the head. Loss of consciousness usually doesn’t last long, and with everything going on may not have been noticed.

Doctors also look for signs such as areas of swelling or bleeding on the scalp. The head has a lot of blood vessels, so a blow will usually result in a noticeable bump. Headache is common in about half of children whose head was injured. Irritability and rubbing the head and eyes may indicate headache in children who can’t verbalize their symptoms.

More serious signs of head injury include vomiting and seizures. A much smaller percentage of child accident victims exhibit these signs. The head will likely be scanned in a CT machine to determine if there is any bleeding or swelling inside the brain.

Traumatic Brain Injury in Children

Traumatic brain injury describes a variety of signs and symptoms that develop after there has been head trauma. In small children these may include the following:

• Crying that is persistent and inconsolable
• Increased irritability
• Changes in concentration and attention span
• Alterations in nursing or eating habits
• Unusual sleep patterns
• Seeming sad or depressed
• Loss of interest in playing, favorite toys and activities

Advocacy after Accidents and Injuries

Researchers are still learning about traumatic brain injury and what it means for child development. As your motor vehicle injury lawyer, Dr. Greg Vigna works closely with leading experts in this field to ensure your child receives the best evaluation and treatments, for as long as necessary. As a father he understand how stressful and frightening personal injury and traumatic brain injury can be. He develops a case that takes into account your child’s life-long needs and advocates for the best possible treatments. Call us. We can help.