If your child hits his head from a major collision or a fall from any serious distance such as falling from the stairs or getting hit with a bat, call your doctor right away. She will want to know about the details of the accident. She will also like to know if the child is :

•   unconscious
• crying excessively or irritable
• vomiting
• lethargic

Depending on what is going on, she may ask you to  bring the child to the office or take him  to the emergency room immediately .

If your child just has a little bump and not showing any of the above signs, you may just have to keep an eye on the child for a while.

Many parents wonder if they need to keep the child awake after a serious fall. You can actually let the child take a nap. However it is important to watch closely for signs such as

• vomiting
• changes in speech
• severe headache
• difficulty walking or coordination

It is even a good idea to wake the child up about twice each night for the first 2 nights after a fall in which he hits his head.  If you wake the child up and he is alert, then it is likely that the fall did not cause any problems such as bleeding in the brain.

However if you are worried about your child, call your doctor or take the child to the emergency room.