In obtaining a history from a patient who has suffered head trauma, remember that:
to apply pressure to skull depressions to determine if they are actually fractures.
patients with head injuries may become disoriented or unresponsive at any time, so obtain a history as soon as possible.
Raccoon sign, or bruising around one or both eyes, is seen soon after a skull fracture occurs.
Battle sign, a discoloration behind the ear, is an early sign of skull fracture.