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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Aibu not to take my child to a&e?

31 replies

ActualAl · 02/03/2014 16:59

I know this should probably be in parenting but will get quicker replies here, sorry!
DD2 18 months has just fallen down the last three stairs at home and landed on the back of her head. She cried for a few minutes but a dummy and a cuddle seemed to calm her down and she is now playing normally.
There's no bump, bleeding, fluid from ears/nose, eyes look ok and she didn't lose consciousness or be sick.
DH thinks all is fine but I guess I'm just looking for reassurance and also to check what others would do.
If she had any of the above symptoms I would have taken her straight to hospital of course but I didn't who spend hours sitting in hospital with a toddler who would be needing her bed.
Thanks.

OP posts:
FabBakerGirl · 02/03/2014 17:02

What surface did she fall on to?

ikeaismylocal · 02/03/2014 17:02

Yanbu.

I think you would be unreasonable to take her to a+e even if there was a bump. 14 month old ds fell off the sofa today, he has a little bruise and bump but we are just keeping an eye on him at home.

kinkyfuckery · 02/03/2014 17:03

She sounds fine. I wouldn't take her.

Mabelface · 02/03/2014 17:04

If she's happy and bright, with no excessive sleepiness, then I'm sure she'll be fine. Just keep an eye on her and if you're worried at all, speak to a professional.

Joysmum · 02/03/2014 17:04

If it wasn't a resounding bump I'd be keeping an eye out, not letting her go to sleep just yet and seeing how she goes. If I wasn't confident in that then I'd go to A&E

DramaAlpaca · 02/03/2014 17:04

She sounds fine. I'd keep a close eye on her for the next few hours just in case.

meddie · 02/03/2014 17:05

Judging by what you have already said about her current condition you are sensible to keep her at home, all they will do is send you home with head injury advice after a long wait in a&e with a bored toddler.

If she develops any signs of increasing drowsiness or vomiting then you need to get her seen.

greensnail · 02/03/2014 17:05

I wouldn't go to a&e. Just watch her at home and take her if any symptoms develop.

Original poster
ActualAl · 02/03/2014 17:07

Thanks for your answers. The stairs are carpet but bottom floor is wood.

It wasn't a big thud when she fell but enough to make my heart jump into my mouth and swoop down to pick her up, which probably frightened her more!

You'd think I'd be more laid back with the second child but this one is a complete kamikaze, climbing everywhere and she is sooo quick, I'm needing extra eyes these days.

My gut feeling said she was ok, and I'll check on her a few extra times tonight when she's in bed. I just wanted someone else to agree!

Thanks

OP posts:
Original poster
ActualAl · 02/03/2014 17:09

We had her in a&e in October when she fell off the couch and split her forehead open and had to get stitches. These are only just fading now!

I can tell that she's going to be one of these children that are forever having bumps.

OP posts:
Cuddlydragon · 02/03/2014 17:09

My 20 month took a tumble at the park 3 days ago. Like you said he looked fine but the bruising got worse and worse. I wasnt seriously worried but was concerned so I called NHS 24. They were fantastic went through all his symptoms with me and eventually sent us to A&E because bruising came up around his cheek bone. The drs were great checked him thoroughly and sent us away with a list of instructions and a direct number for them if symptoms worsened. Worth trying a call to put your mind at rest?

FabBakerGirl · 02/03/2014 17:13

You can let her sleep, you just need to be able to rouse her and I would be doing that often until I went to bed if this me.

What is the colour around her eyes like?

Original poster
ActualAl · 02/03/2014 17:17

Her eyes look fine, pupils seem correct size and she's focussing ok. No bruising round them.

Problem is she's getting grumpy now because it's nearly bedtime and me checking her ears, nose and eyes every few mins is starting to irritate her! I can't help it though, just concerned.

OP posts:
DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 02/03/2014 17:21

I wouldn't take her personally, but I'm from the wait and see school of parenting.

Adikia · 02/03/2014 17:24

It sounds like you know what you are looking for and I don't see any point taking her to A&E at the moment, just keep an eye on her.

FabBakerGirl · 02/03/2014 17:24

If you are concerned then do you need to seek medical help? None of us can say if she is fine, it isn't really fair to make a decision on what strangers would do when it isn't their child and they can't see yours.

Thurlow · 02/03/2014 17:25

DD had a big bang a while ago, I was alone so I ended up running to the neighbour's for advice Blush

I just woke her up a few times before I went to bed myself and got her wandering around and responding to me.

Original poster
ActualAl · 02/03/2014 17:30

FabBakerGirl, I'm not really asking people to make my decision, I decided not to take her but I guess I'm just looking for reassurance that other people would have done the same.

I get your point though, sometimes I think the same of other posters but now I understand what it feels like to want mnetters opinion to validate your own thoughts.

Thanks though

OP posts:
FabBakerGirl · 02/03/2014 17:42

I have a bit of a cheek considering I ask so much on here but it just worried me that you were worried but not taking her when posters said she was fine. I wanted you to go with what you felt was best even if no one agreed. She is your child and you have to be happy with what you do.

Original poster
ActualAl · 02/03/2014 18:12

I appreciate that FabBakerGirl. I am a natural worrier unfortunately and it drives DH mad! So even though I'm sure DD is fine I'm still panicking that she's not!
It does wear off after a while though so by tomorrow I'll be back to normal.

OP posts:
FabBakerGirl · 02/03/2014 20:31

I am more of a worrier than DH. Once DS2 hurt himself and I rang to tell him expecting him to say just watch him. He said take him to hospital and I panicked even more. I always think if I am worried enough to risk making a fool of myself as the child didn't need medical help then chances are they DO need some. Only been wrong twice.

How is she now?

WelshMaenad · 02/03/2014 20:47

When dd was little I worried a lot about head bumps. She had a brain haemorrhage at birth and was vv poorly and has cerebral palsy. So, she fell a lot and I was just inexplicably paranoid about her head.

A very lovely female paed doctor that assessed her in a&e explained that they would only really get concerned about concussion after a child had vomited three or more times or was exceptionally sleepy/unresponsive. She said that bumps that pop outwards are good because they're swelling to the outside, not inwardly putting pressure on the brain. She did say that they're always happy to see kids in a&e and reassure parents but knowing what would worry a doctor made me a lot more confident about deciding to wait and watch at home if DCs were symptomless.

Hope you're feeling less worried now x

BirthdayMuppet · 02/03/2014 20:53

I would be cautious for the next 12 hours at least. Ds1 fell in the playground at school one lunchtime last summer. He was clearly concussed when they called me to pick him up and I rang my FIL who is a gp, and we made the decision to monitor him at home. He perked up markedly within an hour or so, ate tea normally and went to bed normally at about 7pm. At 7:30 he came down stairs having vomitted twice in his bed, and vomitted twice more before 8pm when the taxi arrived to take us to A&E. You do not piss about with vomitting after a head injury. We spent hours down there being assessed, with no further issues and came home about 11:30, at which point he promptly vomitted again within five minutes of being back! We rang in to paediatrics and went through the history again, and they advised us that it was probably the car journey back that set him off, to wake him into full consciouness every two hours throughout the night and to go straight back if there was any more vomitting, and by ambulance if we couldn't rouse him. As it turns out he was perfectly fine.

In your situation yes I would stay home for now, but I would set your alarm to wake her every two hours through the night, and forget doing anything tomorrow because you'll both be knackered. Knackered but safe.

Felyne · 02/03/2014 21:00

My four year old did the exact same thing last Monday. I didn't see it but I heard the thump and ran to her immediately. She cried as soon as she got up, she complained her neck was sore and wanted to rest it, I checked her pupils dilated when I shone a torch at them. No vomiting. My instinct told me it was nothing to worry about. I took her to the walk-in centre but it was so full I couldn't even get in the parking lot so I made a judgement call and took her home again. If she'd got worse or not shown improvement of course I would have taken her back again or to A&E.

I knew she'd probably be ok but there was a tiny 'did I do the right thing? It is a head injury' voice in my head (as there probably is for you OP). Thankfully the next day she only remembered about it if you asked how her neck is!

FudgefaceMcZ · 02/03/2014 21:58

I took DD2 to A&E with a bleeding head wound after she had tried to slide down the arm of the sofa and knocked her head on a radiator. After waiting a couple of hours, the doctor who cleaned up and stuck steri-strips to her head said 'Why did you come in?' and after explaining that we'd been told to by NHS24, said 'oh they tell EVERYONE to come in, you don't really need to'. So YANBU. Unless she was unconscious or is showing signs of concussion, there's nothing to be done at A&E and it won't help anyone to take her.