How can you identify a potential head injury?

Identifying a potential head injury involves recognizing specific symptoms that indicate damage to the brain or skull. Checking for signs of confusion and abnormal pupil response is crucial because these can indicate altered mental status or increased intracranial pressure, both of which are critical symptoms following a head injury. Confusion can show that the brain is not functioning properly, while abnormal pupil reactions (such as unequal pupils or sluggish response) can suggest possible trauma that may have affected brain function or pathways.

Other options, while they may be relevant to the overall assessment of an injured patient, do not specifically identify a head injury. Swelling on the scalp could suggest a head injury, but it is not definitive since it can occur without brain injury. Measuring blood pressure variations may reveal other medical issues but does not directly indicate head trauma. Assessing neck pain is important in a trauma assessment, particularly with the possibility of spinal injuries, but it does not directly correlate with identifying a head injury. Therefore, recognizing confusion and abnormal pupil responses is the most direct and specific method of suggesting a potential head injury.