Head Trauma in Adults and Children

What Is Head Trauma?

Head trauma can occur as open or closed trauma and can lead to fatal conditions. Trauma caused by a piercing or cutting object is called penetrating (open) trauma, and trauma caused by a blunt blow is called closed trauma. In infants, the skull does not have the hard bone structure found in adults. Also, since the brain has not yet completed its development, head trauma due to sudden jolting is frequently seen in infants. The severity of the condition may vary depending on the speed of the impact, the site of the blow to the head, and the patient's age and condition. For this potentially dangerous condition, both in adults and children, life-saving outcomes can be achieved with early diagnosis and correct treatment. Especially in young children, it is important to consult a healthcare facility as quickly as possible for head trauma and to get the patient to the right treatment.

How Is Head Trauma Recognized? What Are the Symptoms?

The brain, like the organs in the chest cavity, is a delicate organ that must be protected. For this reason, brain damage caused by head trauma can affect the body in a wide range of ways. Blows that are intentional or result from an accident can be a serious source of trauma. Falls, blows to the head, work accidents, assault and injury, car accidents, falling from height and similar commonly seen situations pave the way for head trauma. In adults, head trauma may show different symptoms from those seen in children. Generally, in adults, mild trauma manifests as follows:

Nausea

Dizziness

Headache

Mild feeling of lightheadedness

Moderate head trauma mostly shows cognitive findings and is of a nature that should prompt the person or those close to them to seek healthcare. These symptoms are:

Clouding of consciousness lasting more than 30 minutes, sometimes persisting up to 1 week

Severe headache

Vomiting

Loss of balance

Decreased response to surrounding stimuli

Severe head traumas require urgent presentation to an emergency department. In this case, since loss of consciousness will be the most prominent finding in the patient, relatives may quickly notice the situation. Early treatment can minimize the likelihood of permanent damage. In this case, the patient's findings are:

Prolonged loss of consciousness

Severe, projectile vomiting

Sensitivity to light and smell

Seizure

Fainting

Mood changes

Narrowing of visual field and blurred vision

Speech disturbance and inability to form meaningful sentences

Head trauma, progressing from mild to severe symptoms, requires presentation to clinics. Head trauma in children may be seen more frequently than in adults. In addition, head trauma in children and infants may not be noticed right away. Generally, trauma findings in children are as follows:

Change in sleep pattern

Seizure

Mood changes

Lack of interest in favorite activities and toys

Impairment in walking

Frequent crying

Frequent, projectile vomiting

Lethargy

Findings in children mostly present as physical changes. Especially in children who have not yet acquired speech, suspicion of head trauma can be supported by evaluating eating, sleeping and toilet habits. When treatment is needed for suspected head trauma in infants and children, having the pediatric intensive care service separate from the adult service in the clinic can provide a major advantage. Thus, the chance of preventing permanent damage caused by trauma through rapid intervention and specific treatment increases.

How Does Head Trauma Heal?

The patient's oxygen saturation, blood pressure values, light response and object tracking are evaluated when trauma is suspected. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can identify bleeding foci in the brain and the area affected by the injury. The healing process and treatment procedure are shaped according to the severity of the trauma and the patient's condition. For mild trauma, the first thing to do is to rest adequately. If the patient has not experienced bleeding and has no physical injury, they should stay in bed for as long as their doctor recommends. An athlete should take a break from the sport and from activities that cause jolting for a while. Artificial lights such as phones and computers can also harm the patient. During the recovery period, it is necessary to avoid screens emitting blue light and alcohol.

Recovery from moderate and severe head trauma may take longer. During this period, it is very important to follow the physician's recommendations fully, take the prescribed medications and rest adequately. Depending on the physician's recommendations, some activity restrictions in daily life may be temporary or permanent. To reduce pain and dizziness caused by the blow, antiemetics (anti-nausea drugs), anti-seizure and anti-fainting medications, muscle relaxants for muscle pain, and, in traumas that have caused bleeding, anticoagulants (blood thinners) to prevent clotting may be prescribed. It is very important that patients take these medications on the advice of their physician, not according to their complaints.

If there is bleeding or a physical injury, surgical treatment may be performed. For this reason, the surgical incision requires a dressing for its healing process. If the patient has a history of coma or prolonged loss of consciousness, physical rehabilitation may be recommended. Speech and language therapy, physiotherapy, psychological support, and cognitive and behavioral therapy may be among the patient's needs. Clinics that provide 24/7 nursing service after severe trauma are supportive for both patients and their relatives. For this reason, choosing the clinic and physician is very important in shortening the recovery process.

What Outcomes Does Head Trauma Lead To?

In adults, the most common changes after head trauma are dizziness, nausea, psychological changes, brain edema, change in consciousness, seizures and confusion, loss of balance, gait disturbances, difficulty concentrating, and memory problems. In addition, in children, changes in eating and drinking, impairment of toilet habits, changes in sleep patterns, lack of interest in favorite toys, and inability to track objects and light are seen. With correct diagnosis and the support of an expert physician, head trauma in adults and children can be treated without leaving permanent brain damage. Having a separate adult and pediatric intensive care unit can be an important feature for patients in being selective when choosing a clinic.

Does Brain Edema Occur After Head Trauma?

Brain edema can be seen after head trauma. Edema is one of the most common symptoms leading to permanent damage or death. Brain edema can occur due to fluid accumulation in the tissue spaces between cells or due to cells swelling by taking in water. Brain edema findings after trauma can be explained by many different factors. The most common cause of this is that fractured bones from a skull fracture damage the brain's blood vessels. To balance intracranial pressure, surgical and pharmacological treatment must be performed rapidly.

How Is Head Trauma Treated?

Physical findings may also vary in trauma resulting from a blow or jolt from a cutting or piercing tool. In trauma caused by tool injuries, signs such as bleeding, bruising, a marked change in head shape due to a skull fracture, and brain edema may also occur. Conditions such as brain hemorrhage, skull fracture, and a change in intracranial pressure require surgical treatment. In head traumas that occur without any change in physical appearance, imaging methods may be necessary to diagnose the trauma. For this reason, head trauma can be detected before it causes permanent harm to the person through diagnosis made in a clinic where the surgical team is experienced and adequately equipped in terms of medications and materials. In head trauma that shows symptoms with a physical change in the skull, some tests and imaging methods are again needed to understand the extent of the situation and to start treatment in the most appropriate way. Professional emergency evaluation is required in all head trauma presentations. With good neurological intervention, the patient can be treated before entering a coma. With treatment performed by a specialist neurologist according to the coma scale, there may also be a chance to prevent permanent and long-term damage.

Frequently Asked Questions:

No. Head trauma most commonly occurs from falls and impacts. However, in infants, shaking can also lead to head trauma. Additionally, sudden blows, injury to the skull and brain by a sharp object, and situations causing jolts such as traffic accidents can cause head trauma in both adults and children. One of the signs of head trauma is psychological changes and difficulty speaking. Therefore, if rehabilitation is not given importance after severe trauma, the patient may show significant psychological disorder and persistent speech difficulty. To prevent these, speech therapy and psychological counseling support can also be added to the post-treatment recovery plan. In some head trauma presentations, skull fracture, bleeding foci in the brain, increased intracranial pressure, loss of consciousness, cerebral hypoxia, seizures and coma may be seen. In cases of severe head trauma findings accompanied by these conditions, support from a specialist physician and a clinic with an intensive care unit and adequate clinical services in the field may be required. Head traumas are classified as mild, moderate and severe. The treatment plan may change according to this scale. Untreated head trauma can result in irreversible brain damage. At the root of this is the rapid death of brain cells caused by an untreated injury. If head trauma in children is not treated, it can leave permanent damage. Increased intracranial pressure, brain hemorrhage, developmental anomalies due to skull fracture, and hydrocephalus are among the conditions requiring surgery. Failure to treat these findings can leave permanent damage in later years. Head traumas in both adults and children can lead to conditions ranging from dizziness to permanent loss of consciousness and even death. Therefore, if head trauma is suspected, what should be done is to direct the patient to a clinic that has experienced physician support and adequate surgical equipment. You can make a free appointment through our units that connect patients with specialist physicians in this field.