As spring approaches, more and more young children will once again engage in outdoor playground activities. If you are the parent of a young child, it is important that you pay close attention to your child after a fall in order to detect the signs of a traumatic brain injury.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), young children under age four fall into the high risk category for traumatic brain injuries. Children of this age range do not have a fully developed sense of balance, making them especially prone to falls. Many of these falls occur while playing outdoors on the playground.
While the majority of these falls will not result in a traumatic brain injury, it is possible for your child to develop one of these injuries if the fall results in a jarring blow to the head. In order to prevent serious long term damage, it is crucial that a traumatic brain injury be treated within an hour and a half of the accident. Therefore, it is important to examine your child closely after a serious fall.
Unfortunately, brain injury symptoms are often difficult to detect. In many cases, they take awhile to develop, and if your child is very young, he or she may not possess the verbal skills to communicate these symptoms to you. If your child exhibits any of the following symptoms after a fall, seek medical attention immediately:
- Sudden drowsiness
- Inability to stay alert
- Difficulty recognizing familiar people or places
- Sudden whining or irritability
- Loss of interest in favorite toys
- Numbness on one side of the body
- Vomiting
- Neck pain
If your child’s traumatic brain injury was caused by the negligent actions of another, you may be entitled to receive compensation for your child’s damages. It is important to consult an experienced brain injury lawyer who has the skills to handle such a complex case.
If you have a brain injury claim in the Atlanta, Georgia area, please contact the experienced Atlanta brain injury lawyers at Robbins & Associates today to schedule your free initial consultation.
Written by Andrew Martin: professional blogger and guru of misfortune.
