What is the severity of a head injury with a GCS between 9-12?

• A. Moderate
• B. Mild
• C. Severe
• D. Critical

Answer: (A)

Moderate head injury.

The Glasgow Coma Scale grades eye opening, verbal response, and motor response to give a total score from 3 to 15. Mild is 13–15, moderate is 9–12, and severe is 3–8. A score in the 9–12 range means there is noticeable impairment of consciousness, but the person is not in a coma and is usually capable of some interaction, though confusion or disorientation is common. This level often requires imaging to rule out bleeding or other injury and careful monitoring, since there is a risk of deterioration, but it is not as life-threatening as a severe coma. The term “critical” isn’t a standard GCS category in this context.