When a concussion happens, the effects can appear immediately or very soon after the blow to the head and include sleep, mood disturbances, and sensitivity to light and noise. Sometimes some effects do not appear for hours even days and could last for several days. While not every patient with a concussion will lose consciousness, every suspected concussion should be treated seriously. As a medical assistant when assisting with a child after a concussion there are many things that you should look for or be aware of to make sure that the patient is receiving the proper care.
Signals of a concussion include:
Confusion (this can last from moments to several minutes) Headache Repeated questioning about what happened Temporary memory loss,
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Provide parents of child patient with educational brochures and papers on concussions and what you can and can’t do
Key things to remember when observing children and Infants: You can obtain a lot of information by observing children or infants before actually touching them. Look for signals that indicate changes in the level of consciousness, trouble breathing, and apparent injuries and conditions. Realize that the situation may change as soon as you touch the child or infant because he or she may become anxious or upset. Unlike some injured or ill adults, a child or an infant is unlikely to try to cover up or deny how he or she feels. A child or an infant in pain, for example, generally will let you know that he or she hurts and will point out the source of the pain. Ask a young child to point to any place that hurts. An older child can tell you the location of painful areas. If you need to hold an infant, always support the head when you pick up the infant. If a child becomes extremely upset, conduct your check from toe to head instead of head to