2 year old fell down stairs

[Iputthescrewinthetuna]

DD aged 2 has just fallen downstairs. I didn't see, DP did.
From top to bottom.
I have checked her over, she seems fine. She had a 30 second cry and decided she wanted to climb back up to walk down properly. (Holding DPs hand of course)
My question is, she seems fine, no bruising. She is dancing with her big sister at the moment. Do I take her to be checked over? I will obviously be checking her over through the night and will follow normal head injury checks. But if she seems ok and happy do I still take her?
This may seem like a stupid question, but I tend to over worry. DP thinks as long as we keep a close eye on her over the next 24-48 hours and she shows no signs of concussion, we don't need to take her hospital.
What would you do? Or are there any medical experts out there who can advise?
I am quite a 'switched on' parent who is very aware of signs of concussion. (Eldest DD has wormian skull so we had to keep close eye on all head injuries)

Sounds fine. Dd would let y0u know if something wrong.

Keep an eye out for anything but I wouldn’t be taking her to be checked with no signs of something needing checking.

Children are often very bouncy and manage to do alsorts without injury!

If she has bounced back you don't need her to be checked over just keep an eye on her if she vomits and seems cranky take her to A&E but it sounds like she is fine.

My gut is saying she is fine, I have noticed a slight bruise on her ear...it is green so possibly an old bruise.
DP said she went down floppy and wasn't stiff so this is likely to be less injury.
I think I am quietly panicking as it is her bedtime, she has been tired all day so can't really keep her awake much longer.
I have had 3 children, the elder 2 just seemed so much bigger and stronger when they were her age, she just seems so fragile I panic more!

DP is so cross at himself. (I am quietly cross at him, but being honest it could have happened with me)

You could ring out of hours for reassurance and advice ☺

Strip her to underwear and check her whole body for contusions and scrapes. Push you way up her spine vertebra by vertebra. Move each arm and leg through a full range of motion (twist each way, fold each way, ask her to push and pull against you with the limb in multiple directions) Run your hands over her scalp feeling for lumps. If she reacts or moves away from anything, consider a doctors visit. If she changes her eating habits or bowl/bladder movements, consider an A and E visit. If she vomits or seems dazed or confused go to A and E.

Otherwise snuggles and stories about the time she just bounced down the stairs like a football. And a large glass of red wine for you!

I could do actually, I am pretty certain they will tell me to keep eye on her. But for peace of mind I think I will.

Yes, I am very aware how a little bit pathetic I sound! I feel like I should give myself a

She has just asked to go to bed. DP has taken her up. She seems so happy and is showing no signs of anything bad.

Another vote for keeping an eye on her but stay at home unless there is anything out of the ordinary.

I normally check their pupils dilate ok by walking into a bright room and seeing if they get bigger.

This happened to DS2 at the same age, he gave me an awful fright. We'd taken off the stair gate because we had a decorator in. I was distracted with his baby brother & DS took himself off up the stairs, got a shock when he came face to face with a strange man painting a skirting board at the top, toppled over & rolled all the way back down again. I felt awful but DS was fine & completely unhurt, apart from a slight carpet burn on his nose.

So I'd just keep an eye on her & wouldn't rush to get her checked over unless something obvious becomes apparent.

@SeaToSki Yes, I did all of this, thank you. She hates being messed with when she is hurt, she has her cry and pushes everybody away from her, so we have to let her cry until we can check her over. If we touch her whilst she is crying she screams so we can never tell if she is in pain until she calms down! A very long 30 seconds for me!

She didn't wince.

I will have a weak Martini and lemonade to calm my nerves (one glass of red makes me slightly drunk )

I am at work tomorrow, but DP will be with her so he will keep an eye on her....even if he let her fall downstairs today! 😞

@DramaAlpaca my 4 year old has taught her how to open the stair gates! We have 2 flights of stairs! I knew it would happen sooner or later! I encourage her to go downstairs on her bum, but my DD has other ideas!

My 2young rolled down our stairs the other day. He was a bit shocked and had a little wail and then went back up to do it properly.
Didn't cross my mind to take him to doctors. He's pretty bouncy and would let us know by loud noises if he was hurt.
I tend to ask them if they can wiggle any injured fingers/ appendages rather than manipulate it myself.

Sounds like you know what you are doing. Trust your instincts.

I think the advice now is that it’s fine for children to sleep after a bump to the head as long as they are rousable so don’t worry too much about bedtime

I think I have last baby syndrome. You are all giving me the same advice as I would have given, and have used with older 2!

I would probably just keep an eye on her, if she didn’t bang her head. They do go floppy when they fall.

Just as a matter of interest, how did you find out about your older daughter’s wormian skull?

@Starlings27 it was a horrible situation. She is now 10.
At 29 days old she developed a huge moon shaped bruise on her cheek. I mentioned it to Hv, she wasn't worried.
Over a period of a month she developed more bruising, her hands from holding toys, her toes from the lining of socks. Also when she had an intense cry she would get red pin prick like spots over her face.
I took her to Drs who sent her for blood tests - all clear.

At 6 months old she stopped breathing. I resuscitated her and got her to the hospital.

Obviously they were concerned about bruising - cue social services.

They did all sorts of tests on her over a period of a week.

They scanned her head. This is what showed as her having wormian bones. The bruising is related to that. She was then diagnosed with connective tissue disease.

She is fine now, bruises don't appear with the slightest knock, but will last longer than most children's bruising.

The stopping breathing was not related, that was put down to 'one of those things'
Perhaps SIDS, I was just lucky enough I checked her when I did.

God, that sounds horrific! Poor baby and poor you! Thank goodness they found out what was wrong. And we'll done for resuscitating her!

A friend has a little boy with a bleeding disorder similar to haemophilia... the first time he had his innoculations, he bruised horribly, including where she'd held him to stop him wriggling. The buruises developed pretty much in front of the nurse and I always thought it was lucky that she saw how it happened as it meant that no-one ever had concerns about her causing the bruises.

She sounds fine to me. Bless her, they do bounce at that age don't they?

(I fell down the stairs a week ago on Saturday and could hardly move for three days, only now able to get up and sit down on my own. Poor old crock that I am.)

She is fine this morning. She is still happy. Still keeping eye on her though.

@Starlings27 it wasn't a nice time. In fact, when I typed that last night I was in tears.
I had just completed a first aid course for babies, I am so happy I did! It could have been a difference between life and death.

When we were in hospital, a bruise appeared in front of a nurse. I was worried, but so relieved. Having social services scared me. But they were very supportive. I knew that they had to do their job. I have never felt like a criminal up until this point!
But she is 10 now, my little girl who I nearly lost os now growing up into a beautifully stroppy pre-teen! I wouldn't change her for the world

@Rebecca36, how are you feeling now? Sounds like a bad fall.

God, I’m sorry my question upset you! Sorry, I was just interested to find out if you can tell from the outside, so to speak. I, really glad it all turned out ok. They can be such worries, can’t they? DS has a genetic thing, he’s fine now but it was very concerning when he was first diagnosed as they couldn’t tell us much about the implications to begin with.

No @Starlings27 don't be sorry. It wasn't your fault I got upset. You wasn't to know about the circumstances in which I found out. Reliving it still breaks my heart. Seeing her so small and lifeless still catches me out and fills me with the utter heartache I felt that day. I was one of the lucky Mums though. The alternative, I just can't imagine.
You asked a genuine question. No, you can't tell from the outside. Not with DD anyway. I can't tell from feeling her skull either. The only symptoms she had was the bruising.
Hope your DS is ok?
Yes, kids cause you so much worry!
If it isn't a health problem it is falling down stairs 🙄