How Do I Know If My Child Suffered a Brain Injury?

How Do Children Get Brain Injuries?

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) happens when a child experiences a sudden force or hit to their head that can cause damage not only to their skull but to their brain. Houston’s renowned hospital, Texas Children’s, reports that falls are the leading cause of TBIs for little ones.

Our experienced team of child injury lawyers has seen firsthand how children most commonly suffer brain injuries at the following places:

Daycare centers: While parents trust daycare centers to keep their children safe, injuries can happen. However, most injuries are preventable and occur because of a lack of supervision from a caregiver, or the center does not ensure its staff follows Texas’ daycare laws, also known as minimum standards. Little ones can suffer a brain injury caused by a fall from a high chair, changing table, or playground equipment. Also, abusive and unqualified caregivers can intentionally drop or hit a young child or shake a baby, resulting in a brain injury.

Amusement parks: Faulty and unmaintained rides, untrained workers, and hazardous, slippery surfaces can cause brain injuries in children at amusement parks.

All-in-one event centers: Entertainment spots that are marketed as family-friendly allow children to bowl, play laser tag, and run around the many arcade games. However, if a center does not have enough employees, it may be unable to survey the entire area and miss intervening before a child is seriously injured. Moreover, heavy bowling balls and rough terrain in laser tag arenas can cause incidents resulting in TBIs.

Bike accidents caused by a negligent driver: A child learning to ride a bike is a rite of passage, but it also exposes them to injuries like TBIs. Our experienced child injury lawyers have helped families after a negligent driver veered into a bike lane or on a sidewalk, hitting a child on a bicycle and leaving them with a brain injury.

Car accidents: The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association ranks car accidents as the third leading cause of traumatic brain injuries in children ages 0-14.

Hotel pools: Whether a pool has a lifeguard or not, there is always a risk that a slip on an unmaintained pool deck or unkempt diving board can cause trauma to the head, potentially resulting in a concussion or TBI for a child.

Summer camp: From group sports to ropes courses with high elevations to roughhousing in pools, there are many ways children at camps can suffer brain injuries if there’s an overall failure by counselors and other staff members to closely monitor the many campers in their care.

Trampoline parks: While these indoor parks are popular venues for birthday parties and rainy-day parties for little ones, they can be dangerous places. Brain injuries can result in collisions with other jumpers due to a lack of employees overseeing safety practices for everyone at the park or because of the size differences of people jumping in the same areas.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms That a Child Has a Brain Injury?

Head and brain injuries are not always visible, so if your child fell from a high surface or hit their head, watch out for these common symptoms of a brain injury, as detailed by the Mayo Clinic:

Blurred vision
Confusion, disorientation, or a dazed state
Headaches
Loss of consciousness from a few seconds to several minutes
Problems with speech, such as slurring words or difficulty speaking
Memory or concentration problems
Ringing in the ears, experiencing a bad taste in their mouth, or inability to smell
Sensitivity to light or sound
Vomiting
Weakness or numbness in any part of their body

In addition, changes or abrupt shifts in your child’s behavior can also signal that they may have a brain injury. Red flags include:

Continuous crying and irritability
Difficulty sleeping or excessive drowsiness, causing them to sleep more than usual
Mood swings and personality changes
Sudden depression or anxiety

If your child complains of any of these symptoms or exhibits these behaviors, take them to a local emergency room immediately.

What are the Long-Term Impacts of a Child’s Brain Injury?

The brain is central to all bodily functions, so severe childhood injuries that cause a brain injury or TBI can negatively impact a child’s abilities and create challenges in the future. For example, a brain injury can lead to:

A regression or severe delay in developing fine motor skills
Noticeable learning and cognitive challenges such as a fading memory, lack of concentration, and hindered language or verbal skills
Interference with sleep patterns, lacking a restful sleep no matter how tired you feel

Did Your Child Suffer a Brain Injury? Contact The Button Law Firm

If your child experienced a head or brain injury anywhere in Texas, our team of experienced and compassionate child injury lawyers at The Button Law Firm can help. We’re dedicated to advocating for you and your family. We will listen and fight for your family to get justice and move forward. Our lawyers at The Button Law Firm are recognized on the prestigious Texas Super Lawyers list, and we can help guide you after a traumatizing incident involving your child. We work on contingency, meaning we don’t charge you or collect any upfront fees to get started on your case. Get a free case evaluation by calling us at 214-699-4409, emailing us at [email protected], or filling out a contact form.

My Child Hurt Their Head. How Can I Tell If They Have a Brain Injury?

How Do Children Get Brain Injuries?

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What Are the Signs and Symptoms That a Child Has a Brain Injury?

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Did Your Child Suffer a Brain Injury? Contact The Button Law Firm