Head injuries and concussion

Any head injury can be serious, although most are mild. Concussion is the most common type of traumatic brain injury. It is important to remember that signs of a head injury can show up 24 to 48 hours after the injury.

Most head injuries are minor and have no long-term effects. Some head injuries result in temporary effects known as concussion. These temporary effects can last anywhere from hours to weeks.

Tamariki (children) often bump their heads because they are active, sometimes fall over, and enjoy rough-and-tumble play. They may get hit on the head while playing with other tamariki. Fortunately, they mostly injure the outside of their heads, not their brains.