Emmanuel O., 1

Emmanuel is the youngest child in his family. He lives with his parents and two siblings in a modest two-roomed mud-walled rental house, for which they pay KSh 1,000 per month. His mother stays at home to care for the children, while his father is the sole provider, earning a living as a bodaboda (motorcycle taxi) rider. According to his mother, the incident occurred as they were on their way to visit Emmanuel’s grandmother over the weekend. Emmanuel was riding on the motorbike with both parents when a speeding motorcycle struck them from behind, causing all three to fall to the ground. Concerned passersby who witnessed the accident acted quickly and rushed them to the hospital for medical attention.

The child came to the hospital accompanied by the mother, who was also injured, bleeding on the head after getting involved in an accident. The child was admitted to the ward, the wounds on the head cleaned and left open. Emmanuel was kept in the ward for close monitoring of the head in case of a brain swell. He responded well to the treatment as his wound also healed well and was duly discharged home.

The condition is benign in most cases and resolves spontaneously within a few days to weeks. However, observation is important to ensure no signs of more serious head injury, especially in children.