Head injury
Learn how to help someone who has a head injury.
With regard to the current coronavirus crisis, guidance can be found in our Guidance and Support section. Please always consider your own personal safety first when delivering first aid.
Learning objectives
- Learn first aid skills
- Feel confident to help someone who needs first aid
- Feel able to help someone in need of first aid
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Nick and Simon are playing badminton, when Simon falls and hits his head on a bench. Simon needs help and Nick knows just what to do.
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Simon and I often play badminton together – it’s a tough workout and a good laugh. We were practising for a doubles match when Simon dived to save a shot.
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He fell badly – hitting his head on the gym bench on the way down. It looked like a nasty fall so I went over straight away to check if he was okay.
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Simon said his head hurt and he could feel a bump coming up. It must have been painful to hit his head like that. He hadn’t cut himself though and he didn’t seem to be hurt anywhere else.
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I wrapped the ice pack in my spare t-shirt and told him to carefully hold it against the bump on his head.
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I phoned his sister Lucy to see if she could come and pick him up. As we waited for her to arrive I kept talking to Simon.
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I wanted to reassure him and make sure he wasn’t confused or starting to feel sick or dizzy. I knew those were signs that his head injury might be more serious.
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When Lucy arrived I told her what had happened. I also let her know what the signs of a more serious head injury were so that she could keep an eye on Simon at home.
nextWhy is it important to apply something cold to a head injury?
If you think someone may have a more serious head injury, what are some of the signs to look for?
Take action: If someone has a head injury, apply something cold to the injury.
Start OverWhat to do if someone has a head injury
Step 1.
Ask the person to rest and apply something cold to the injury (e.g. frozen vegetables wrapped in a tea towel).
Step 2.
If the person becomes drowsy, vomits, or their condition deteriorates, call 999 or get someone else to do it.
Learn
These activities help young people learn what to do when someone has a head injury.
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Head injury – learn activity
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Head injury – learner skill guide
Practise
These activities help young people practise how to help someone who has a head injury.
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First aid skill - practise activity ideas
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Head injury - practise role play
Practise all first aid skills
These activities help young people to practise more than one first aid skill.
Or go to:
Heart attack
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Helping others
Learn about the bystander effect, what inspires people to help and the qualities of people who act.
Safety and wellbeing
Learn and practise how to keep safe, use coping skills and look after your wellbeing when helping others.
Share and remember
Share what you’ve learned with others and remember your learning
Secondary guidance and support
This section includes curriculum links, a teacher and educator guide and everything you need to get started.
