Baby and adult hands

Babies and toddlers – bumps to the head

Infants and young children often bump their heads – spot the signs and symptoms for this age group.

On this page: 

Signs and symptoms

What happens if there is another head injury?

A concussion can happen at any age. Accidents can happen and as babies and toddlers learn to crawl, walk, run and play a little more roughly with toys, it is quite common for them to have a few bumps to the head. Babies and toddlers are at an age where they don’t fully understand the concept of risk or danger.  

When we hear the word ‘concussion’, injuries from sports like football may come to mind. However, concussion can result from many kinds of accidents.

Common causes in babies and toddlers include: 

•    falls from beds  
•    bumping into something or being hit by something  
•    being dropped from a carer’s arms.  

It can be more difficult to spot signs of concussion in babies and younger children as they may not be able to tell you how they feel. 

I just turned around to get a nappy and some wipes and when I turned back my baby was slipping off the bed. It happened so quickly, in slow motion, but I couldn’t do anything. Although he soon settled, I took him to A&E just to make sure. He was absolutely fine but I spent the rest of the day paranoid and inspecting him for injury."

Signs and symptoms  

Some of these symptoms may not be relevant as children develop skills at different ages, but keep an eye on the symptoms that do apply, looking for any unusual changes. 

    Monitor the symptoms below and contact your GP or 111 if symptoms continue and you are concerned:

  • persistent crying (compare this with the usual amount of time your baby or toddler may cry for at one time)
  • loss of balance  
  • poor coordination
  • possible headaches; persistent rubbing of the head  
  • change of usual mood, such as irritability or difficult to console 
  • changes in sleeping pattern 
  • nausea 
  • unusually sleepy or listlessness (a lack of energy or interest – this may be shown through a lack of interest in favourite toys) 
  • unable (or finds it hard) to carry out newly learned skills, such as toilet training or speech)  
  • sensitivity to light and/or noise  
  • will not eat or drink. 

Call 111 or visit A&E if you think a baby or toddler has had a significant injury to the head or they are showing symptoms listed.

Key symptoms to look out for

Concussion can be harder to spot in babies and young children. We have shared steps to help your child back at home for the first 24 hours but for this age group specifically, check for changes in normal behaviour such as:

Child crying

Crying a lot, or more than normal

Baby eating food

Differences in your child’s feeding or sleeping habits

Toddler and toy

Loss of interest in people or objects

You can let your child sleep, and you can leave the room, but check regularly that your child is sleeping as normal and it is not difficult to rouse them. Wake/check your child after two hours – if your child seems unusually sleepy, or seems dazed when they wake, contact your GP or 111.  

For the first 24 hours, only let your child play quietly with low activity. This means no running, fast action, rough play, or play that includes quick starts and stops or jarring motions. 

Go to A&E if your child displays more severe symptoms: 

•    vomiting (this differs from a child being sick due to drinking milk or eating food – the child may vomit more severely or over a longer period of time, and with other symptoms)  
•    seizures/fits  
•    visible bruises/marks on the head  
•    unusual fluid from nose, mouth or ears. 

Several of these signs and symptoms have been provided by the organisation CanChild. 

Call 999: Call an ambulance if the symptoms are more severe, for instance if the child is unconscious or are having a seizure/fit.

What happens if there is another head injury?  

The risk of sustaining a concussion is four times greater in children with a previous concussion compared with those with no history of concussion. A repeat concussion can lead to more severe signs and symptoms, a longer recovery time, and the child's movements and actions may be reduced.

If your child has a second head injury seek urgent medical attention and make sure you mention previous head injuries.

The risk of sustaining a concussion is four times greater in children with a previous concussion compared with those with no history of concussion.

Seek Medical Advice

If your child has a head injury we recommend seeking medical advice as soon as possible after the injury (call 111, your GP or in an emergency 999).

Explore our site

Bumps happen

Explore our Bumps Happen information

Most head injuries are not serious but bumps do happen. Find your way around our information - we share the signs to look out for, and steps to take, in case your child has had a concussion.

Amelia

Contact our specialists

Looking for further advice and support? If your child’s symptoms persist longer than six weeks and you would like support from one of our specialists, contact our virtual ABI team.