In this episode we talk to pediatric emergency medicine physician, Dr. Julia Magana about pediatric head injury. Head bonks and falls are common in toddlers. As kids age, sports and other risky behaviors can also put them at risk for head injury. In this episode we review head injuries across pediatric age groups. We talk about how to respond to a head injury, mechanisms of injury and symptoms that warrant an evaluation, as well as when it may be appropriate to monitor at home. We also discuss the evidence based research from the pediatric emergency medicine applied research network that has helped develop guidelines about which pediatric head injuries require imaging. 

We thank Dr. Julia Magana for joining us for this episode, although Drs. Lena and Dean take responsibility for any errors or misinformation. 

Resources 

Head Injury in Children: How to Know If It's Minor or Serious - HealthyChildren.org

Concussions: What Parents Need to Know - HealthyChildren.org

Identification of children at very low risk of clinically-important brain injuries after head trauma: a prospective cohort study

PECARN - California ACEP