My 17 month old daughter fell last night and hit her forehead on the concrete. It's the 2nd time she's...

Question

hit the same spot in the last couple of weeks. I put ice on it and kept her up for a few hours then checked on her through the night to make sure she was okay. I really panicked and i startedd thinking. How do i know that when she falls and hurts her head that it's serious enough to take her to the hospital? If she hits herself in the same spot again before healing, should I take her to the doctor right away?

the bump went down over night and it's just really bruised up right now. other than that, she's perfectly fine now. but you can all imagine how panicked i was.

she's getting over a cold so her nose is all stuffy and i think that's what stopped her from eating today. how badly can her eating habits change because of an injury?

Answer 1

Hi - our eldest has had similar. Last year, the park gate knocked her flat and the bruise on her forehead where it made contact was huge. But that's what the body is supposed to do to protect itself. We went straight to the local doctor as it was nearby and the nurse checked her eyes but did not send us on to casualty.
We did what you did for your child, kept her awake for at least an hour, put a cool-pack on it, made sure she didn't even think of rushing around (it was too painful for her anyway). She was fine, although the site has a small scar now.

If your daughter loses consciousness or you think that she did, is the time to go to casualty or the doctor. She may need an x-ray to make sure or just observation for a few hours to ensure nothing is wrong internally.

You did everything right for her. You cannot run to the GP every single time children fall over or get a big bruise. You do go when your child doesn't seem like themselves or acts a little odd or unsteady after such an event.

Answer 2

When in doubt, call the ambulance.

Children of that age are less suspeptable to injury due to soft bones, but a concussion is a major concern because the cranial cavity is larger than the brain itself and there is more of a chance of the brain impacting the skull and bruising the brain.

A concussion is when the brain impacts the cranial wall and causes bruising to the brain. If untreated, this can lead to swelling and coma.

as amosunknown said.....and my opinion is it is better to err on the side of abundant caution.

Answer 3

You look for signs in th first 24 hours.

If a child passes out, vomits repeatedly, cannot balance, or has uneven pupils you should take them in right away, ER style, or even call the squad- it can be a sign of hemorrhaging in the brain.

Any time after the impact if you notice the same symptoms, or signs of lethargy, seizure, no desire to eat, shakiness, or anything out of the norm you should take your child in.

If you're ever in question its best to go in and get an xray just to know for sure, bleeding on the brain is never a good thing.

Answer 4

It depends on what you hit your head on.
you will when a she get a big bruise there. if she do hit her head again in the same spot. Let it heal over night like you did before. if dont heal over night take her to the docter.

Answer 5

Our son did the same thing, about a week between head-bashings. Very scary stuff. He's fine now and doing well in PreK.

Answer 6

when my son was 2yrs he hit his head on the same spot like 4 times in a month i took him to the doctors and the doctor told me not to worry otherwise blood came out of his ears thats a sign of a broken skull? i think the best anwers are in webmd.com. i hope your kid feels better good luck

Answer 7

If she's concussed, it might take a few days to exhibit. Keep an eye on her for headaches, vomiting, and becoming unexpectedly drowsy/ lethargic. If you're worried, take her to A&E.