Head Injury

Observation Following a Head Injury

Monitor the patient for the following:

• Sudden change in alertness (i.e. decreasing consciousness, more sleepy).
• Sudden or increasing confusion (i.e. cannot remember phone number, address, name, etc).
• Headache that worsens despite medications.
• Increasing nausea or persistent vomiting. 
• Pupils are not equal in size or shape. 

Contact: Health Services (389–6276) or Immanuel–St. Joseph's Emergeny Room (345–2610) if any of the above symptoms have developed.

Treatment

• Have someone stay with the patient at all times to help monitor for the above symptoms.
• Start with clear fluids like water or Gatorade and advance diet as tolerated.
• Avoid aspirin!  Tylenol (acetaminophen) may be used for headaches.  Ibuprofen is not advised initially for headaches in this situation.
• Avoid codeine (or other narcotics) and alcohol (or other mood altering drugs) which make an evaluation difficult or may even mask the above symptoms of an increasing head injury.