About your visit

Your child has hit their head and has a concussion, or we suspect a concussion. We have spoken to you about precautions to take over the coming days.

When you get home

Monitor your child closely for the first 24 hours

Any concussion will typically appear within the first 24 hours. It is therefore important that you monitor your child closely for the first 24 hours. Wake your child 2-3 times during the first night. Your child should wake up and react as normal.

Expect headaches and other mild symptoms

If your child has had a blow to the head, the following symptoms are possible:

• Headache.
• Nausea.
• Vomiting.
• Dizziness.
• Trouble concentrating.
• Fatigue.
• Memory loss.
• Confusion.
   

Dial 112 if your child develops these symptoms

Dial 112 if your child develops one or several of these symptoms:

• Listlessness or is harder than usual to wake.
• Increasing nausea and repeated vomiting.
• Difficulty seeing clearly.
• Difficulty controlling arms and legs.
• Pupils of different sizes.
• Cramps.
   

Dial 1813 for the medical helpline if your child’s condition deteriorates

In very rare cases, your child may begin feel worse after arriving home. Dial 1813 immediately for the medical helpline if you feel anxious about your child’s condition or if your child:

• has a worsening headache
• gives incorrect answers and rambles.
   

Give your child pain-relieving medicine, if necessary

You can give your child pain-relieving medicine if they are in pain. Pain-relieving medicine for children can be bought over the counter. Only give the child the amount of pain reliever recommended on the package.

Try to get your child to rest

Children are usually good at knowing their own limits. However, we recommend that the child is encouraged to take a nap or lay down whenever they need it.

Help your child avoid mental exertion

To reduce the risk of long-term consequences of concussion, it is important to limit:

• physical activity, such as sports and visits to playgrounds
• screen time in front of computers, television and similar
• reading
• loud music.

Teenagers should avoid alcohol and drugs.

These activities can resume gradually as your child’s health improves. Your child may also gradually begin attending school or preschool again.

Notify the school or preschool

Some children experience memory, learning or concentration difficulties after hitting their head and possibly suffering concussion. It is therefore a good idea to inform the school or preschool about what happened.

Contact your child's general practitioner if symptoms continue

It takes some children longer to recover. This applies particularly to children that were knocked unconscious when they hit their head. If after two weeks your child continues to display symptoms of concussion, e.g. headaches, trouble with memory, or irritability, contact your general practitioner or dial 1813 to reach the medical helpline outside your general practitioner’s opening hours.

Worth knowing

Check your child’s medical journal

You can access your child's medical journal and health data at www.minsundhedsplatform.dk and www.sundhed.dk. They are both available as apps: MinSP and MinSundhed. You have to fill out a power of attorney at the hospital in order to access your child's medical journal. The power of attorney form is also available at www.minsundhedsplatform.dk/fuldmagt. Contact us if you did not fill out a power of attorney before leaving the hospital.

We will notify your child's doctor

We will inform your child's general practitioner about your child's visit to the hospital. Let us know if you do not want your general practitioner to receive information from the hospital.

Tell us about your experience

We would very much like to receive feedback regarding your child’s stay at the hospital. If you are considering lodging a complaint, please contact the hospital’s impartial patient advisors. For more information (in Danish only): www.regionh.dk/patientrettigheder.

Your child’s personal data

The Capital Region of Denmark uses the personal data you share with us when you make an enquiry. You can read more about how we use data and the rights of your child on our website: www.regionh.dk/persondatapolitik.