If you need a large print, audio, braille, easy-read, age-friendly or translated copy of this page, email the patient information team at uclh.patientinformation@nhs.net. We will do our best to meet your needs.

Following a thorough examination we are satisfied that it is alright for your relative/friend to leave hospital.

Things you should do to make sure the person is OK:

  • Do not leave the person alone in the home for the first 48 hours after leaving hospital.
  • Do make sure that there is a nearby telephone and that the person stays within easy reach of medical help.

Things that will help the person get better

If the person follows this advice it should help them get better more quickly and it may help any symptoms they have to go away:

  • Do have plenty of rest and avoid stressful situations.
  • Do not take any alcohol or drugs.
  • Do take paracetamol for a headache. If the headache is severe or worsens, seek a review by a doctor.
  • Do not take sleeping pills, sedatives or tranquillisers unless they are prescribed by a doctor.
  • Do not play any contact sport for at least three weeks or without talking to a doctor first.
  • Do not return to normal college or work activity until you feel you have completely recovered.
  • Do not drive a car, motorbike or bicycle or operate machinery unless you feel you have completely recovered.

Things you shouldn’t worry about

Your child may feel some other symptoms over the next few days, which should disappear in the next two weeks. These include a mild headache, feeling sick (without vomiting), dizziness, irritability or bad temper, problems concentrating or problems with their memory, tiredness, lack of appetite or problems sleeping. If you feel very concerned about any of these symptoms in the first few days after discharge, or if they last longer than two weeks you should take the young person to their doctor.

Call your GP

Most people recover quickly from their accident and experience no long-term problems. If you start to feel that things are not quite right for your friend/ relative (for example, memory problems, not feeling themselves), then please contact their doctor as soon as possible to check they are recovering properly. Their GP may refer them to a specialist head injury service.

Go to your nearest Emergency Department if you see any of the following signs:

  • Unconsciousness, difficulty waking up or lack of full consciousness (for example, problems keeping the eyes open).
  • Any confusion (not knowing where they are, getting things muddled up).
  • Becoming unusually or increasingly sleepy.
  • Any problems understanding or speaking.
  • Any loss of balance or appears unsteady when walking.
  • Any weakness in one or both arms or legs, fails to grasp objects.
  • Any problems with their eyesight.
  • Very painful headache that won’t go away or becomes more severe.
  • Repeatedly vomiting (getting sick).
  • Any fits (collapsing or passing out suddenly).
  • Clear fluid coming out of their ear or nose.
  • Bleeding from one or both ears.
  • New deafness in one or both ears.

Services

Printing of this document is only valid on the day printed, please refer to the website for most up to date information:

https://www.uclh.nhs.uk/patients-and-visitors/patient-information-pages/head-injury-adolescents-and-young-people

Service information