Children are curious and full of energy, and that drive to explore the limits of their bodies and their environment is often a recipe for a lot of spills, falls and tumbles. Falling down is a normal part of growing for a child, but what if that fall involves a hit to the head?

While a head injury doesn’t mean you need to rush to the best pediatric neurology center in your area, it may warrant a visit to your family doctor. A concussion is a serious injury, so you should take special care in the hours and days that follow a head injury to look for symptoms that point to an injury worse than a bump or bruise.

What Are the Symptoms of a Concussion?

The symptoms of a concussion typically manifest a little while after a head injury, but can also sometimes take a few weeks to become noticeable. While it’s normal for a head injury to produce a bump from swollen tissue and discoloration from bruising, a concussion has a much more pronounced set of signs and symptoms.

Some of the things to look for if your child has recently experienced a head injury include:

• Confused or slurred speech
• Lethargy
• Blurred or double vision
• Difficulty standing, walking or balancing
• Vomiting
• Headaches
• Dilated (larger than normal) pupils

What Should I Do If My Child Has a Concussion?

Any time your child experiences some type of trauma to their head, it’s a good idea to visit your family doctor to make sure they’re fine. If your child has symptoms of a concussion, then your regular doctor might refer you to a pediatric neurologist for additional tests or treatments.