Craniocerebral trauma (concussion)

Your child may suffer a bruised skull or concussion as a result of a head impact during a fall. In rare cases, blood vessels in the skull may be injured with subsequent haemorrhaging. In this case, it is an urgent emergency - call the emergency services on 144 immediately!

The signs of a concussion include unconsciousness, vomiting and feeling unwell. Children may also be drowsy and sleepy. Some also have a partial or complete lack of memory of the accident.

If blood vessels in the skull have been injured, patients usually also show a pupillary reaction disorder and neurological abnormalities such as movement disorders and prolonged loss of consciousness.

Your child will be examined by experienced doctors on our emergency ward. Close observation of the child, a detailed assessment of the accident mechanism and a physical examination are crucial. An ultrasound scan can also be helpful for small children.

If there is a suspicion of a haemorrhage or further injury to the brain, a computer tomography scan of the head is carried out.

The basic principle is the hospitalisation of patients for close, internationally established GCS monitoring. If there is a deterioration in the patient's condition, a computerised tomography scan is performed. In the event of an injury to the blood vessels within the skull, a skull fracture or an injury to the brain itself, surgery may be necessary. This is carried out by specialised paediatric neurosurgeons.

If your child suffers from a concussion, they will be admitted to our paediatric surgery ward for close GCS monitoring for 24 hours. Severely injured children and adolescents are cared for in the specialised paediatric intensive care unit.

The prognosis after a skull contusion and concussion is good. After hospitalisation, you should ensure that your child takes it easy for another week or two.

In the event of a serious head or brain injury, the prognosis varies greatly. In this case, we will inform you personally about the expected prognosis.