Child Hit Their Head? 9 Signs to Go to the ER Now

    Emergency Medicine
    Published: September 23, 2026
    Updated:
    7 min read
    Medically reviewed by the Emergency Plus medical team

    Call 911 or go to the ER now if your child was knocked out, vomits more than once, has a seizure, or seems drowsy or confused.

    Also go for fluid from the nose or ears, weakness, a worsening headache, or a large swelling on a baby's head. A child who cried, settled and acts normally can be watched at home for 48 hours.

    School is back in Jordan, and with it the playground, PE lessons and football at break time. Bumps to the head are a normal part of an active childhood: a clash of heads chasing the ball, a tumble off the swings, a trip on the stairs. Most leave an 'egg' on the forehead and a few minutes of tears, and that is the end of it. A small number need urgent care, and the difference is rarely the size of the lump. It is how your child behaves afterwards. This guide will help you tell the two apart.

    9 signs to go to the ER now

    Based on NHS and CDC guidance, call 911 or go straight to the nearest emergency department if your child has any of these after a head injury:

    • They lost consciousness, even briefly.
    • They vomit more than once.
    • They have a seizure (fit).
    • They are unusually drowsy, hard to wake, or can't keep their eyes open.
    • They are confused, behaving unusually, not recognising familiar people or places, or simply "not themselves".
    • Clear fluid or blood comes from the nose or ears, or there is bruising behind the ears.
    • A large swelling, bruise or cut on the head, especially in a baby under one, or a bulging soft spot or crying that cannot be settled in a baby.
    • Weakness or numbness, trouble speaking, walking or balancing, pupils of different sizes, or problems with vision.
    • A persistent headache that keeps getting worse.

    Be more cautious after a high-energy injury: a fall from more than 1 metre or 5 stairs, a high-speed injury such as a road accident, or a baby who refuses to feed after the bump deserves an ER assessment even if your child seems fine.

    If your child is unconscious or having a seizure, do not drive them yourself: call 911 and stay with them, and avoid moving their neck if the impact was a hard one.

    What is usually fine

    The reassuring picture is also the most common one: your child cries straight away, settles within minutes, and goes back to playing, talking and eating as usual. A lump like an 'egg' often appears because the scalp has a rich blood supply, and on its own it does not mean the brain is injured. Hold a cold pack wrapped in a cloth on the swelling for a few minutes, and paracetamol at the right dose for their age and weight can help if they are sore.

    Falls that bump the head often injure an arm too. If your child won't use an arm or holds it close to their body after the fall, see our guide is my child's arm broken, or is it a pulled elbow?.

    Babies under one are a special case

    A baby cannot tell you they have a headache or feel dizzy, and the signs of injury are subtler. That is why the threshold for being seen is much lower: the NHS treats any bruise, swelling or large cut on the head of a baby under one as a reason to get urgent help. Any fall from a height, such as a changing table, bed or sofa, or from someone's arms, deserves a doctor's check even if the baby seems fine. Also watch for changes in feeding, unusual sleepiness, and high-pitched crying that will not settle.

    What concussion looks like in children

    Concussion is a mild brain injury that temporarily affects how the brain works, and a child does not have to be knocked out to have one. Symptoms may not appear straight away and can show up hours after the bump. Common signs include:

    • Headache or a feeling of pressure in the head.
    • Dizziness or poor balance.
    • Nausea.
    • Sensitivity to light or noise.
    • Trouble concentrating or remembering, or seeming slowed down.
    • Unusual irritability, tearfulness or mood swings.
    • Changes in sleep: sleeping more or less than usual.

    On their own, these milder symptoms do not usually mean the ER, but they do mean your child needs rest and a medical assessment if they persist or worry you. If they turn into any of the red flags above, such as repeated vomiting, a worsening headache or marked drowsiness, go to the ER straight away.

    Watching at home for 48 hours

    • An adult should stay with your child for at least the first 24 hours, and keep a close eye on them for 48 hours.
    • Sleep is allowed: the NHS says a child does not need to stay awake if they are tired, as long as they were behaving normally before they fell asleep. There is no need to keep them up all night.
    • If they are hard to wake, or seem confused when they wake up, call 911.
    • Encourage quiet rest, and cut back on screens and demanding activities for the first day or two.
    • Use paracetamol for headache at the correct dose, and do not give sleeping medicines unless a doctor advises.
    • If symptoms last more than two weeks, see a doctor.

    Going back to school and sport

    Rule one: no return to play on the same day, however well your child seems. If they take a knock to the head during a match or PE, they come off and stay off. After that, the return is step by step: back to school once they feel better, perhaps with shorter days or extra breaks at first, then light physical activity, then training. The NHS advises avoiding contact sports such as football for at least three weeks, and your child should only return to full sport once they are completely free of symptoms and a doctor has cleared them. Let the school and coach know about the injury. For more detail, see our guide to returning to sport safely after an injury.

    Urgent care or the ER?

    To be clear: any head injury with one of the red flags above belongs in the emergency department or needs a 911 call, not a wait-and-see at home. If your child is acting normally but you are worried, has mild concussion symptoms such as a slight headache or dizziness the next day, or has a cut on the scalp, they can be assessed at urgent care. At Emergency Plus, your child can be checked after a bump at any hour, day or night, without an appointment.

    Related guide: head injury and concussion in adults.

    Related guides: child swallowed a battery, magnet or coin.

    More guides: what to do if your child has a febrile seizure.

    Worried after your child's head injury?

    For any red flag, call 911 first. The Emergency Plus emergency department in Dabouq, Amman is open 24/7, and urgent care sees walk-ins 24 hours a day, no appointment needed.

    Call: +962 79 247 1313

    Sources

    Medical disclaimer: This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you think you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department immediately. Emergency Plus in Dabouq, Amman is open 24/7 — +962 79 247 1313.

    Child head injury FAQ

    Yes. The NHS says you do not need to keep a child awake after a head injury if they are tired. What matters is how they were before they fell asleep: if they were talking, walking and behaving normally, letting them rest is fine. If you find you cannot wake them easily, or they cannot stay awake or keep their eyes open, call 911.
    The most reassuring sign is a child who cries straight away, settles within minutes, and then plays, talks, eats and walks as usual. A lump on its own is common and not a sign of brain injury. Keep watching for 48 hours: vomiting more than once, unusual drowsiness, confusion, a worsening headache or any change in behaviour means call 911 or go to the ER.
    Most serious problems show up within the first hours, but symptoms can be delayed: concussion signs can appear or get worse over the following day or two. That is why an adult should stay with the child for at least the first 24 hours and watch them closely for 48 hours. Mild headache or tiredness can last up to about two weeks; longer than that needs a doctor's review.
    A baby who falls from a bed, sofa or changing table should be checked by a doctor the same day, even if they seem fine, because signs of injury are harder to spot at this age. Call 911 if your baby was knocked out, vomits more than once, has a seizure, is hard to wake, has a bulging soft spot, or cries in a way you cannot settle.
    Call 911 or go to the ER if they were knocked out, have a seizure, vomit more than once, are unusually drowsy, cannot be comforted, or are not acting like themselves. A baby under one year old with a bruise, swelling or cut on the head, or any baby who fell from a height such as a changing table or bed, should be checked by a doctor the same day. If you are unsure, it is always reasonable to have them assessed.
    Never on the same day as the injury. The NHS advises no contact sport for at least three weeks after a head injury and says children should avoid rough play for a few days. Return should be step by step: school first, then light activity, and full-contact sport only once your child is completely free of symptoms and has been cleared by a doctor.
    Most children with a minor bump do not. A doctor decides based on how the injury happened and the child's signs and symptoms, following guidelines such as NICE NG232. Any red flag, like loss of consciousness, repeated vomiting, a seizure or drowsiness, means the child needs emergency assessment straight away, so call 911 or go to the ER rather than waiting.
    A fall is serious if your child was knocked out even briefly, vomits more than once, has a seizure, is unusually sleepy or hard to wake, has changes in speech, walking or behaviour, has blood or clear fluid from the nose or ears, or has a large soft swelling on the head — call 911 or go to the ER now. The risk is higher for babies under one and for falls from a height such as a bed or stairs. If they cried straight away, settled and are playing and eating normally, watching them at home for 24–48 hours is usually enough.

    Related Reading

    Child Fever: What Temperature Is Too High? When to Go to the ERHow to Tell if Your Arm Is Broken or Sprained (6 Signs)Returning to Sport After Injury: A Physiotherapist's Timeline