Parents are being warned to stay vigilant when it comes to bruising on their child’s head as it may indicate a serious health issue.
Unsurprisingly, a tot's body differs wildly from a fully-grown adult's.
This is mainly due to children possessing a less-developed immune system, having thinner skin and soft cartilage areas in their growing bones that make them susceptible to breakages.
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If your kid goes down in the playground, a bruise will likely form and it’s usually nothing an ice pack and a plaster can’t fix.
But some bruises can indicate a deeper health meaning that you definitely shouldn’t ignore.
Tiny Hearts Education, an Australian training organization which empowers parents, has claimed that you should get your child checked out if you spot a bruise on the side of their head.
The Baby First Aid institution says that these blackened spots below the ears can indicate a potential brain trauma and has explained what you should do if you find one.
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Posting a now-viral Reel to Instagram, Tiny Hearts Education said: “If you see bruising behind your child's ear (called Battle sign), there's a chance that they might have a serious skull fracture.
“Bring them in urgently to be seen by a doctor for assessment.”
According to the National Institutes of Health, a Battle sign is ‘bruising over the mastoid process that is typically the result of head trauma’.
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These significant bruises usually only develop after significant head trauma and could signify a basilar skull fracture.
It’s worth keeping an eye out for Battle signs because they could lead to permanent brain injury or your child developing meningitis.
Depending on the severity of the injury, surgery is sometimes required to elevate the bone segment.
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After viewing the clip, parents have flocked to the Instagram comments section to have their say.
One social media user wrote: “I never knew this. My son hit his head not long ago and the first thing the nurse on call told me was to check his ears.”
A second said: “Well this is a bit concerning I had no idea about this. My 6-year-old had bruising like this after a fall at school in March. (I took a photo of it).
“She kept complaining that her ear was sore so I thought it was just that she hurt her ear. Now I feel horrible.”
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“My daughter had this when she was 2,” complained another. “I had no idea how she got it. We just watched her closely but to this day I wonder if it had long terms effects.”
Someone else commented: “New fear. Thanks.”
Topics: Health, Instagram, Parenting, Social Media
Ella Scott