head injury

[MsIna]

My grandson fell yesterday afternoon and hit the back of his head very hard on my carpeted floor.  He turned over backward in a wheelchair while trying to do a "wheelie" - he's 13!  It hurt very badly causing him to cry a little which is very unusual.  My daughter and I put ice on his head and didn't allow him to go to sleep.  He was very quiet and subdued  for quite a while after he fell.  About and hour or so later we went out to eat and he started complainng of a headache and was given a Tylenol.  He also started complaining of nausea but did not throw up.  My daughter and her husband are the kind of parents that are reluctant to call the doctor or go to the ER so nothing else was done.  He went to his home and I went to mine.  However, he slept very late this morning, which isn't unusual, and I didn't ask about his demeanor during the day, but I just talked to my daughter and they had gone to a sports bar to watch a football game but had to leave early because my grandson became nauseous again.  I want her to call her doctor or go to the ER but she doesn't think it's necessary.  What do you think?

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

I feel that your grandson needs to be evaluated for a head injury as soon as possible.Mostly hematomas formed after a head injury soon in case of children,but as your grandson is having signs of concussion or a raised intracranial pressure(most probably due to a subdural hematoma)it needs to be evaluated by a neurosurgeon immediately.An x-ray or CT head is advisable.

Pls don’t listen to your daughter as your grandson needs immediate evaluation.
Hope it helps.Take care and pls do keep me posted on how your grandson is doing.

[caregiver222]

Incidentally she should NOT call her doctor. She needs to go to an emergency room! NOW! Your grandson's life is in danger.

[caregiver222]

Nausea is definitive for a concussion. Take him to an emergency room IMMEDIATELY. If your daughter refuses call the police and 911. With hesitation. An argument is not worth your grandson's life. Some concussions resolve. Other's result in compression of blood vessels causing blindness, quadrapalegia or death.