Minor head injuries are common in people of all ages and rarely result in any permanent brain damage.
If your child experiences a knock, bump or blow to the head, sit them down, comfort them, and make sure they rest. You can hold a cold compress to their head – try a bag of ice or frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel.
The symptoms of a minor head injury are usually mild and shortlived. They may include:
If your child’s symptoms get significantly worse, take them straight to the accident and emergency (A&E) department of your nearest hospital or call 999 for an ambulance.
Signs of a brain injury after a head injury include:
If any of these symptoms occur after a head injury, immediately go to your nearest A&E department or call 999 and ask for an ambulance.
Each year around 700,000 people attend A&E departments with a head injury in England and Wales. Of these, more than 80% only have a minor injury.
The most common causes of head injuries are falls, assaults, and road traffic collisions.
Children are more likely to sustain a minor head injury because they’re very active.
Most people who attend hospital with a minor head injury are allowed to return home shortly afterwards and will make a full recovery within a few days.
After attending hospital with a minor head injury, you’ll usually be discharged fairly soon and be able to recover at home. Most people will make a full recovery in a few days.
For the first 24 hours after the injury, it’s important for someone to stay with the injured person to keep an eye out for any new symptoms that develop.
It’s also important to rest, avoid aggravating the injury with stressful situations, and avoid contact sports until fully recovered.
Mild headaches can be treated with paracetamol, but always read the manufacturer’s instructions to ensure the correct dosage is taken. Don’t give aspirin to children under the age of 16.
Read more about how to treat a minor head injury.
It can be difficult to predict or avoid a head injury, but there are some steps you can take to help reduce the risk of more serious injury. These include:
Read more about how to prevent a minor head injury.
Minor head injuries often cause a bump or bruise. As long as the person is awake (conscious) and with no deep cuts, it’s unlikely there will be any serious damage.
Other symptoms of a minor head injury may include:
If these symptoms get significantly worse or if there are other, more serious symptoms, go straight to the accident and emergency (A&E) department of your nearest hospital or call 999 to request an ambulance.
If your child or someone you know has sustained a head injury, observe them closely for 24 hours to monitor whether their symptoms change or get worse.
If you’ve sustained a head injury, ask a friend or family member to stay with you for the next 24 hours to keep an eye on you.
If your child has a minor head injury, they may cry or be distressed. This is normal – with attention and reassurance most children will settle down. However, seek medical assistance if your child continues to be distressed.
Seek immediate medical attention if, after a knock to the head, you notice any of these symptoms in either you or your child:
If any of these symptoms are present, particularly a loss of consciousness – even if only for a short period of time – go immediately to your local A&E department or call 999 and ask for an ambulance.
You should also go to hospital if someone has injured their head and:
You can usually recover from a minor head injury at home – but keep an eye out for any new symptoms that might develop.
If your child experiences a knock, bump or blow to the head, sit them down, comfort them, and make sure they rest. You can hold a cold compress to their head – try a bag of ice or frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel.
Seek immediate medical advice if symptoms such as mild dizziness and a headache get worse.
If you have a minor head injury:
Go to your nearest accident and emergency (A&E) department if you develop any of the symptoms listed above.
See your GP for advice if you still have symptoms two weeks after the head injury or you’re unsure about driving or returning to work.
If your child has a minor head injury:
Take your child to A&E if their symptoms worsen or they develop any new symptoms.
See your GP for advice if your child still has symptoms two weeks after the head injury, or you’re unsure about them returning to school or sport.
Many head injuries are the result of accidents that are difficult to predict or avoid. But there are ways to reduce your risk.
Cyclists and motorcyclists can protect their heads by wearing a properly fitting safety helmet. British Standard safety helmets are a legal requirement for motorcyclists.
Research commissioned by the Department for Transport found bicycle helmets “should be effective at reducing the risk of head injury”.
However, it’s difficult to know the benefit of cycle helmets for certain. This is because data about road accidents involving cyclists may not contain all of the relevant information.
For example, the data may not explain where exactly the head injury occurred, which makes it difficult to determine whether a helmet might have prevented the injury.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) all support the use of cycle helmets, and suggest they may help reduce head injuries.
As well as wearing a helmet when cycling, you should also make sure both you and your children:
Following sensible health and safety guidelines can help prevent accidents in the home. Advice that will help keep your home and garden as safe as possible includes:
For more information, see the RoSPA website.
It’s not possible to childproof your home completely. But you can take steps to keep toddlers and young children safe at home:
To reduce the risk of sustaining a head injury at work, always follow any necessary health and safety guidelines. For example, you may have to wear a hard hat when working in potentially hazardous areas.
Only use ladders in a workplace environment for short-term light work. Any work that requires spending a considerable amount of time at height or involves heavy lifting should be carried out on scaffolding or another suitable platform.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provides more information about the correct use of ladders in the workplace, including a list of common tasks that involve working at height.
Any work that involves going up on to a roof should also be considered high risk, and high standards of safety are therefore essential.
Wear any necessary safety equipment when playing sports, particularly contact sports. Don’t play any contact sports for at least three weeks after a minor head injury without talking to your doctor first.
Last updated:
24 May 2023