Vomiting a day after hurting head - related or stomach bug?

amother

↑ OP

Sun, Oct 06 2024, 6:28 pm

amother Oak wrote:

OP. This is the only response you need to listen to. Was clearly written by a medical professional ( as I am as well).

Repetitive vomiting after head injury is indeed a red flag for a cerebral hemorrhage. However, after 24h, the likelihood of a very slow bleed is miniscule. If no other symptoms are present and you came to the ER, we would tell you to come back if he develops any worrisome symptoms such as focal neurological deficits, agitated behavior etc...

In sum, you did nothing wrong by observing him.

Thank you. As a medical professional could you please explain what is meant by repetitive vomiting? I know I'm starting to sound really nitpicky but I think this was a big cause of my confusion. He vomited 4 times over about a half hour, maybe more. Seemed like it took a few rounds to empty his upset stomach. Having heard that "repetitive vomiting" is a red flag, I still don't know if that's what we experienced or if it means separate episodes.

Now that bh this incident seems to have passed I just want to process whatever it was that happened.

amother

↑ Sapphire

Sun, Oct 06 2024, 6:33 pm

amother OP wrote:

Just stop. You said you asked real medical people in real life. So go do that.

amother

↑ Slateblue

Sun, Oct 06 2024, 6:36 pm

amother OP wrote:

No offense to that amother but just because she said she’s a professional doesn’t mean she is one. You’re literally trusting a stranger on the internet instead of getting proper medical advice Can't Believe It

amother

↑ Melon

Sun, Oct 06 2024, 6:38 pm

amother OP wrote:

Do you really not know what the word repetitive means do you know how to look up the definition of a word. I really don't know what's going on here very strange and frustrating poster.

amother

↑ Chicory ↓

Sun, Oct 06 2024, 6:39 pm

amother OP wrote:

Repetitive means it was repeated. So vomiting 4 times in half an hour is exactly that, repetitive vomiting.

amother

↑ Aquamarine

Sun, Oct 06 2024, 8:34 pm

Wow, some of you are coming across as really mean and condescending. I will attribute it to your concern for a child.

OP, it’s a good question- for those that don’t understand, I will attempt to explain- what I think you are asking is: is repetitive vomiting multiple instances of vomiting at one time period (so let’s say 5 times in one shot) or does it refer to instances of vomiting over multiple time periods (let’s say vomiting every hour)?
Medically speaking, repetitive vomiting usually refers to the latter- multiple time periods of vomiting, not multiple vomiting in one instance. So you were correct in your interpretation. (That said, vomiting after head injury does require closer observation, but not necessarily intervention. I think many posters are missing this distinction.)

Again, OP, you were not negligent, and I understand your confusion.
Please don’t let other posters gang up on you and bully into doubting your abilities.

amother

DarkYellow

Sun, Oct 06 2024, 9:55 pm

I will chime in as a medical professional as well, just because of all the misinformation on this thread.
After head injuries, concerning symptoms include altered level of consciousness and repeated, uncontrollable vomiting. And even with those symptoms, they usually watch and wait (obviously depending on severity, and constant monitoring not allowing child to sleep). Symptoms usually resolve on their own. There is no treatment for a concussion.
No hospital is running to do a scan on a child who is acting totally fine, and had one episode of vomiting. That would be medically unnecessary.
OP, you sound responsible and level headed.

amother

↑ Chicory

Sun, Oct 06 2024, 10:03 pm

amother DarkYellow wrote:

No reputable medical professional would post anon and give medical advice based on so few facts. You know nothing about how he was because they had no idea what they were looking for and likely wouldn’t see half of it. Anyone who posts responsibly in the name of medical professional is obviously anything but. We can all post we are medical professionals anonymously so we sound like we are the ones to listen to. But no one real would declare anything like this.

amother

Blush

Sun, Oct 06 2024, 11:49 pm

amother Chicory wrote:

I'm not a medical professional but I have experience of multiple ER visits. Medically there's nothing they will do for concussion, just tell you to keep the child calm and rested. Forehead injuries are also considered less severe than to the back of the head. IME concussion results in vomiting shortly after the injury, not a whole day later. And when my dc did have concussion they were acting out of character, much more listless and not themselves.
I think if your child is acting pretty much normal, then why go through the trouble of the ER?