ABSTRACT
Head injury is a very common presentation to the emergency department (ED). Head injury is so common in childhood that parents generally only seek medical help if there is a wound, or if the child was either knocked out or became nauseous or drowsy. Serious head injury is one of the most common causes of death in children. A minor head injury in some toddlers can trigger a 'breath-holding attack', which must be distinguished from loss of consciousness as a result of brain injury. Facial lacerations may bleed profusely. This rich blood supply means that wounds generally heal quickly, and infection is unusual, even in bites. Eyelid wounds need perfect repair under magnification. Wounds involving the eyebrow require perfect anatomical repair with sutures, in order to avoid a 'step' in the line of the eyebrow, which has very visible cosmetic consequences. A hyphaema occurs when the eye is struck, and bleeding occurs into the anterior chamber.
