Should I be concerned about my baby's previous head injury?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am worried about what happened to my baby when he was one month and twenty days old because his older brother hit him in the head with his cellphone, and I noticed a lump on his head that later disappeared.

He did not vomit or cry. He was breastfeeding normally, so I did not go to the hospital. My baby is now one year old.

Can I know what happened then that has not affected my baby?

Please help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to iCliniq.com.

As a child specialist, I can understand your concern.

I am here to answer your concerns.

Based on your history, it is reassuring that after the incident, your baby:

Did not lose consciousness.
Did not vomit.
Cried normally.
Continued breastfeeding well.
Did not develop any unusual symptoms.

The lump that appeared after the bump and later disappeared was most likely a minor swelling of the scalp from the injury.

Since your child is now one year old and has been growing, feeding, playing, and developing normally, it is very unlikely that the incident caused any lasting brain injury. Problems from a significant head injury would usually show symptoms shortly after the event or affect the child's development over time.

At this point, I would like to know whether your child is meeting developmental milestones for age, such as:

Sitting.
Standing.
Walking.
Responding to sounds.
Making eye contact.
Saying a few words.

If development has been normal and there have been no seizures, weakness, prolonged vomiting, or other nervous system symptoms, there is generally no need to worry about that past injury.

The photo (attachment removed to protect the patient’s identity) does not show any obvious abnormality of the scalp. Let us know if you have concerns about your child's development or notice any unusual symptoms.

I hope this answers your query.

Thank you.