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Head injuries

If you think someone has a head injury, these are the key things you should look for: brief loss of consciousness, scalp wound, dizziness or nausea, loss of memory of events before or during the injury, headache and confusion.

For a severe head injury, look for diminished response to questions; loss of consciousness; leakage of blood or watery fluid from the ear or nose and unequal pupil size. If any of these are present, call an ambulance.

What you need to do Sit them down and give them something cold (a bag of ice or frozen peas wrapped in a cloth) to hold against the injury. Treat any scalp wounds like a bleed by applying direct pressure to the wound.

Use this AVPU scale to check their level of consciousness:

A – Alert: Are they alert? Are their eyes open and do they respond to questions?

V – Voice: Do they respond to the sound of a voice? Can they answer simple questions and respond to instructions?

P – Pain: If they’re not alert or they’re not responding to your voice, do they respond to pain? Try pinching them - do they move or open their eyes? U – Unresponsive: Do they respond to questions or a gentle shake? If they’re alert then their head injury is probably mild. If they’re not alert, their head injury could be severe so call 999/112.

While you’re waiting for an ambulance, keep checking their breathing, pulse and any changes in their level of response.