Head Injuries

Nervous System:

It is made up of the brain, the spinal cord and nerves. It carries signal to and from the brain to all parts of the body. It controls the activity of the involuntary muscles e.g. the blood vessels.

Motor Neurons: carry messages from the brain to different parts of the body.

Sensory Neurons: carry messages from the parts of the body to the brain.

Unconsciousness:

It is an interruption to the brains normal activity.

Levels of Responsiveness:

A - Alert V - Voice P - Pain U - Unresponsive

Recovery Position:

A casualty is placed in the recovery position when they are unconsciousness and it is to ensure an open airway and to prevent them from choking on their tongue or vomit.

Head Injuries

Concussion:

This is the shaking of the brain caused by a violent blow to the head. It can be recognised by a loss of memory of events leading up to the incident, headache and dizziness. You treat this by placing the person in the recovery position, monitoring vitals and calling an ambulance. This can develop into compression.

Compression:

This is where pressure is being placed on the brain. It can develop immediately after the incident or days later. It will result in a worsening in the level of response, unequal pupils, hot flushed face and slow breathing and pulse. Urgent transportation is required.

Skull Fracture:

It can lead to compression and concussion. There may be a soft depression in the skull or swelling, and there may be fluid coming from the nose or ears which is a straw colour or can also be a thin watery blood fluid.

Epilepsy:

It is a disturbance in the electrical activity in the brain. There are two types: minor epilepsy (Petite Mal) and major epilepsy (Grand Mal). The minor epilepsy can involve slight twitching and switching off. Major epilepsy is when a casualty goes into violent and reoccurring seizures. Your main treatment is to protect the casualty from injuring themselves and also to call an ambulance.

Infantile Convulsions:

These are fits in young children aged 1 - 5, which can be cause by infections and fevers. You try to keep them cool by sponging them with tepid water and remove their clothes. You reassure the parents and call an ambulance.

Stroke:

This is where the blood flow to a part of the brain is impaired by a blood clot. There may be a sudden headache, drooping lip, loss of movement on one side of the body, a slow pulse and they may seem drunk as they are confused.

Diabetes:

This is where the body is unable to regulate the sugar level in the body. There is Hyperglycaemia where the sugar level is too high and they have to take insulin and there is Hypoglycaemia where the sugar level is too low and they need to take more sugar e.g. Lucozade or chocolate.