Head Injury - Causes
What causes a head injury?
There are many causes of head injury in children and adults. The most common injuries are from motor vehicle accidents (where the person is either riding as a passenger in the car or is struck as a pedestrian), from violence, from falls, or as a result of child abuse.
What causes bruising and internal damage to the brain?
When there is a direct blow to the head, shaking of the child (as seen in many cases of child abuse), or a whiplash-type injury (as seen in motor vehicle accidents), the bruising of the brain and the damage to the internal tissue and blood vessels is due to a mechanism called coup-countercoup. A bruise directly related to trauma, at the site of impact, is called a coup lesion (pronounced COO). As the brain jolts backwards, it can hit the skull on the opposite side and cause a bruise called a countercoup lesion. The jarring of the brain against the sides of the skull can cause shearing (tearing) of the internal lining, tissues, and blood vessels that may cause internal bleeding, bruising, or swelling of the brain.