What should you check if someone has a head injury?

When assessing someone with a head injury, it's crucial to check for any bleeding or fluid loss from the ears or nose. This is important because such symptoms can indicate a more severe injury, like a skull fracture or intracranial bleeding, which may lead to serious complications. The presence of blood or clear fluid (which may be cerebrospinal fluid) can signal that the brain could be compromised, and immediate medical attention may be necessary.

Checking the temperature, assessing the ability to smile, or evaluating the ability to walk straight, while helpful in other contexts, do not provide the specific and critical information needed to determine the seriousness of a head injury. These alternatives do not directly indicate the potential severity of cerebral damage or leakage associated with head trauma, thus making them less relevant in the immediate assessment of a head injury.