Hi Mandy,
Thanks for your query. Head and
facial injuries in children are always scary. You have assesed him really well and the information that you have given has been helpful.
It seems that he has been lucky enough to get away with a minor
head injury. He should hopefully settle with some
paracetamol and cuddles. I suggest that it is important to observe him closely over the next 24 to 48 hours for signs of a evolving serious head injury. These are:
Vomiting
Irritability (unable to settle to sleep) or
lethargy (not rousing properly from sleep)
Poor balance
Slurred speech
A black eye
Clear fluid leaking from his ears or nose.
If any of these occur, please get him assessed by a doctor. Trust your maternal instinct and if you have any other concerns please get him reviewed.
The small pinkness you describe in the white part of his eye may be form superficial damage to capillaries in the eye. This will resolve on its own over time.
One other thing to watch for is for infection over the wound. As the wound heals it can get itchy and it is likely that he will rub it with dirty hands etc. Just keep a close eye on it. If the eyelid becomes swollen or red it is important that it is treated with antibiotics to prevent his precious eye from getting infected.