What Are the Symptoms of Brain Injuries in Children?

Every year, millions of children sustain concussions. While children recover quickly from minor injuries, a blow to the head is different from a bruise or a skinned knee. Any blow to the face, neck, head, or body that has an impact on the brain can cause a concussion or traumatic brain injury (TBI). These injuries are the leading cause of disability and death for children and adolescents ages 0 to 4 and 15 to 19 in the United States.

Even if your child seems fine after a head injury, get them checked out by a doctor right away. Brain injuries in children can impact them for life.

How Do Children Acquire Traumatic Brain Injuries?

Children can acquire TBIs in the same ways that adults can. Any injury or event that results in a sudden jolt or blow to the head could give your child a concussion or other head trauma. If your child hit their head because of any of the following events, take them to a doctor:

• Falling
• Car crash
• Bicycle accident
• Sports
• Abuse

What Are Symptoms of TBIs in Children?

The symptoms of a concussion or brain injury look similar in children and adults, but children might have a harder time describing how they feel. A child who has had a TBI may experience any combination of these symptoms, depending on the injury:

• Speech, vision, or hearing problems
• Vomiting
• Coordination or balance problems
• Headaches
• Paralysis
• Fatigue
• New or worsening seizures
• Memory, concentration, and thinking changes
• Difficulties communicating, reading, or writing
• Mood swings or personality changes

Are Brain Injuries Different in Children than Adults?

A child’s brain injury can be more serious than an adult’s because it’s harder to know what the impact of the injury will be right away. A child’s brain is still developing, and contrary to popular belief, it can’t grow out of a brain injury. In fact, any impairment that a child could experience from their brain injury might not become evident until they are older.

As children grow up, they face higher demands of their brain power and social skills. They have a lot to learn, not just in school but as part of a family and society. It might not be until years down the road when they face challenges in these areas that it becomes clear that the brain isn’t maturing like the body is.

As with any health condition, early detection and treatment can go a long way toward recovery.

Contact a Brain Injury Attorney Today

If your child has suffered a traumatic brain injury due to someone else’s negligence, you are urged to contact the Indianapolis Brain Injury Attorneys of Wilson Kehoe Winingham. The lawyers at WKW can help you get the compensation you deserve. Call 317.920.6400 or fill out an online contact form for a free, no-obligation case evaluation.

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