Head injury

[kellib]

What would you all do, as a childcare provider, if a child sustained a head injury in your care?

Would you, at the very least, inform the parents?

[QualityCare]

Inform parents immediately, depending on the nature of the injury and state of child give them the option of hosp, collecting child or leaving with minder, only person who can see child and saw accident can judge if ambulance needed straight away, observe child, fill in accident book and get it signed give out head injury advice.

[kellib]

Inform parents immediately, depending on the nature of the injury and state of child give them the option of hosp, collecting child or leaving with minder, only person who can see child and saw accident can judge if ambulance needed straight away, observe child, fill in accident book and get it signed give out head injury advice.

I'm glad you said this bit! My son, 6, came out of school today with a massive bump and graze on his forehead, he said he ran into a tennis racquet another boy held out in front of him while running.

Anyway, the school didn't phone me at the time nor did they send home an accident sheet etc and they didn't speak to my Mum (she collected him from school today) at home time to explain what had happened.

I had it in my head that schools were supposed to phone parents regarding any head injury and it was then up to the parents to decide what action to take.

[Ripeberry]

I had that last Friday. DD2 aged 6yrs had fallen off a high piece of equipment onto her head. But she seemed OK, but I took her to our local NHS walk-in service and they were very good.
Took full obs and a doctor saw her, did memory test ect..

And he pointed out that they would rather people come in and see them and to NEVER feel embarassed about seeking out a check up for any head injury.

[The Juggler]

i don't phone parents unless I have an immediate concern about child relating to injury - bleeding, vomiting, disorientation.

I do an accident form detailing injury, treatment and head injury advice, get them to sign to say they've read this and give them a copy of the advice to take home.

[kellib]

I spoke to his teacher this morning, first of all she said that he hadn't told her then she said oh yeah he did but I didn't do anything because I thought it had been dealt with at lunchtime!

[AliceK]

If it was an injury I was concerned about I would call parents or if it was shocking to look at I would pre-warn them (I had a mindee once who scraped all down her face and nose and looked a right mess) but otherwise I wouldn't to be honest. Obviously I would fill in all the neccs forms and observe etc. One of my after schoolies received a nasty bump to his head on the way home from school a couple of weeks ago. He had a massive egg on his forehead but I didn't think to call mum as I dealt with it and he was fine.
xxxx

[Mamma4Ya]

When my brother was in junior school (he is now in his late 30's) fell on some ice in the play ground and hit his head. The school never informed my parents and just let him sleep it off in class.

When he got home he didn't tell us he had injured himself in school and just lay on the sofa until it was time for tea, we had difficulty in waking him up and when he did wake his speach was slurred, after questioning him, he finally told my parents what had happened and they immediately took him to A&E he was admitted (where he stayed for nearly 3 weeks). It turned out he had had a mild stroke.

I can't believe how often I hear of children bumping their heads and no action taken by those who are caring for them.

If a child was in my care, I would immediately inform the parents and seek medical advice to cover my own back. You cannot see what is going on inside the head although their may not be visual signs on the outside.

[caz3007]

At our school they send home a slip telling you they have had a bump, DS is in year 4 now.

When DS had a fall last year and cut his eye and bumped his head, they rang us and suggested we took him to the doctor, which we did and all was fine