AIBU to think you don't always have to take a toddler to A&E after a head bump?

[Theladypatience]

DS was in the park today and toddled into a wobbly pony thing, bumped his forehead on it, lost his balance and fell over backwards. He fell onto a relatively hard ish textured floor and a bit of the floor of the moving roundabout and grazed the back of his head slightly (it's tiny and actually hard to find it when you're looking for it) but being a park it had a bit of bounce to it.

I nearly had a heart attack (I'm a worrier), but aside from a very short less than a minute cry (seemed more shocked than anything), he immediately cheered up when I gave him some melty puffs and chattered all the way home, eating his lunch.
Checked him over and no bumps, no bruises yet (I think the sound was worse that the actual bump), no dents, no sickness, no drowsiness, no vomiting. Seems completely normal.
I was going to ring 111 but checked NHS online first and he didn't fit any of the criteria for seeking medical assistance at all, and didn't fall from a height or at speed, so we have watched and waited and checked on him when he napped.

But now I'm wondering if I've been slapdash and I should have got him checked? As you can probably tell he's my PFB and I'm worrying that I've done the wrong thing.

My dad was with me and even though he didn't see the initial bump he saw him immediately afterwards and reassured me he seemed fine, as did DH.

But I just wondered if people would have done the same? I'm probably going to be flamed, but he seems really really 100% normal just the same amount grumpy about the teeth that are coming through as he was this morning.

That all sounds smart @NeedCoffeeToSurvive (I agree with your username wholeheartedly). I probably sound neurotic and I know he's going to get bumps and bruises so I need to calm down a bit but it's the first time he's done it.

I'm pretty sure he's already forgotten about it.

It's really hard not to get a bit neurotic about head injuries! But, small children do bump their heads a lot and they are almost always absolutely fine . My heart sinks when my younger one does it (3yo). He's only started doing it really and I've had to get used to it all over again!

Keep an eye out for sickness or change in behaviour etc, but if he's himself then I'm sure it's nothing to worry about.

I'd keep an eye for the next couple of days but no, I wouldn't take to A&E for that kind of head bump either unless there were signs of concussion.

I would only take to a and E if he was unhappy in himself (or behaving strangely, anyway). I haven't done so far and there have been a few falls resulting in bruises and bleeding. If the toddler is back to her usual self within 5 or ten minutes I wouldn't be too worried, even if there's a lump.

when people say unhappy in himself, do you mean more upset than usual?
He's quite irritable at the moment as he's teething, so it's tricky to tell really if it's just grumpiness. He's still playing, bringing us books to read, chatting happily on and off etc.

I used to panic when I was a first time Mum and took mine up after head bumps I'm embarrassed to admit....

It's completely natural to panic when it happens to your first.

Your little one sounds okay but if you're worried no harm if it will give you peace of mind. But as he hasn't been sick or seemed not right I would just keep an eye.

Last year my DD (then 6 months-ish) fell off my bed and bumped her head. I absolutely freaked out, DD cried for a couple of minutes and then settled down and was her usual self. I hysterically called 111, it was taking forever with all the automated covid stuff beforehand so I ended up ringing my GP surgery and they talked me through everything - they asked how long she cried for, had she been unconscious and how was she acting now, after describing it all they said they thought she would be fine but to monitor for certain signs (unusual sleepiness, unfocused, unusual crying etc) and take to A&E if anything changed, which it didn't and she was fine.

Ironically, that same day, DS (then 8) came off his bike and had to go to A&E anyway to have his lip stitched and a brace on his teeth to hold them in place after nearly knocking them out so I ended up there anyway 😅

Both of mine have bumped their heads quite a bit and I've never taken them to A&E for it, just monitor afterwards for 24 hours and avoid letting them sleep for a short while after as well :)

@Theladypatience

when people say unhappy in himself, do you mean more upset than usual? He's quite irritable at the moment as he's teething, so it's tricky to tell really if it's just grumpiness. He's still playing, bringing us books to read, chatting happily on and off etc.

If he's chatting happily and playing normally, I'm pretty sure he's ok and you did the right thing. My nearly 3yo is suicidally reckless, in a way his older brother just wasn't, so I've had to deal with lots of head bumps - the first time i went to the doctor because there was blood everywhere and I couldn't tell where from; now I tend to phone the GP and ask for advice if there's something unusual about the accident, but generally they tell me to go to a&e if his behaviour changes (noticeably - it won't be very subtle, apparently) or if he goes floppy or unresponsive, or starts bleeding from the ears (I like to think I might have clocked that as an issue on my own...) But if he's behaving normally, he's almost certainly fine! I found that reassuring - I often worry that I might miss things but I figure in my more rational moments that serious health problems will usually have serious symptoms, ones you will clearly see and know not to ignore!

when my ds was learning to sit up he slid himself sideways and smacked headfirst into the tiled hearth managing to find the one tiny patch that wasnt covered in cushions i was a wreck he's still got a tiny dent but he was laughing and stuffing his face by the time we got to a&e. When i was about 7 i slipped backwards on a proper lino floor and landed head first i had an egg for a week but im still here to tell the tale.

You're a brilliant Mum OP! This is obvious to read :) Never feel bad for trusting your motherly instincts, nobody knows your baby better than you. Get yourself a well needed glass of something once he's in bed and try to relax a bit xx

If it makes you feel more confident @Theladypatience , my son fell down the stairs a couple of weeks ago, not just one or two steps, a full flight of probably 15 stairs. He was absolutely fine, he's also fallen off the back of the sofa several times, ran into corners of furniture and fell out of his highchair once. Every time he's been fine, I'm genuinely amazed he's not broken something. Parenting is full time suicide watch, they have no fear, no sense of danger and until a certain age, no self preservation instincts.

Eventually you figure out when they need medical help and when they just need a cuddle, otherwise you'd end up having a breakdown.

I always check pupils - are they dilating ok and are they the same size as each other. Also are they following your finger with their eyes. Also yes I do the nudging them in their sleep if they’ve had a big head bang. My Dd always seemed to bang hers right before bedtime which made me worry more!

Also watch out for vomiting or fluid coming from nose or ears is what nhs advice says. I think there’d be some pretty hard to ignore symptoms if there was need for medical attention.

Don’t worry Op it does get easier (ime). Plus it’s easier when they can answer you and describe how they feel etc.

I'm sure he will be absolutely fine

To make you smile, I was really good as a child and never bumped my head or broke anything, just the usual grazed knees so my dad was quite "oh she's never clumsy"
Then age 5 I trapped my finger in a fire door, fainted, fell backwards as I did so, smashing through a glass pane, and then splitting my head open on the frame of the glass. After that I had a seizure

My dad was "could you not just have bumped your head? Like a normal child? Did you have to do ALL THAT?!"

We'd never leave A and E if we went with every head bump. I sometimes seriously consider getting her to wear a crash helmet at all times.

DD (2 at the time) fell outside the school and got an egg on her forehead. She was fine though. My schoolyard mum friends all insisted I took her to the village GP immediately.
Begrudgingly I did, we waited for 45 minutes (for the GP to be free to see us), I opened his door, gave a smile and said, "She fell, she's fine, people made me come". He laughed and told me I could go back and say I'd done as instructed. He didn't even need to look at her more than a quick going over.

Thank you everyone.

He bite his lip before bed as well, not badly, but I swear he’s testing my nerves! The sight of the blood was enough to finish me off today. (Initial concern that it was a horrifying side affect from head bumping allayed when we realised what had happened)

He went to bed fine, was running a bit warm through teething and we gave him calpol as he was a bit upset with teeth and biting everything and I figured if his head is a bit tender the calpol would help that too.

He’s been stirring regularly and I’ll go check him and out extra layers on him when I go to bed then check him in the night

Definitely haven’t noticed any discharge from nose or mouth but will continue to keep an eye on him

Thank you for all your reassurances and sharing your stories, it has made me feel much better. I felt like the worst ever mother when it happened 🙈🙈

I checked his eyes earlier as well they were changing as you would expect in the different light and both the same size. I didn’t check the following my finger but he was behaving normally so think he was okay in that respect

Omg yes, it all happens at once! One injury after another and every time, you feel as if it's your fault somehow

The upside is you do reach a point where you realise they're just going to hurt themselves and if here isn't something awful wrong, like a gaping wound or vomiting, chances are they are fine! The 'going through every awful possible, disastrous outcome' does stop happening. Just takes a few years!

A few years you say? I’m going to need more gin

what0-18.nhs.uk/application/files/4215/9109/6761/NHS_Head_Injury_advice_sheet.pdf

Head injury red flags and where to go

I’ve only taken one of mine to a&e once after a bumped head when DS vomited massively straight afterwards. We went to a&e where he continued to vomit, so they kept an eye on him for a bit but he was fine! Oh and once when one of mine stuck peas up their nose and we couldn’t get them out.

@bubblesr that’s so useful thank you

@DungeonKeeper a few people have said this, objects up the nose is something else to look forward to then

I’ve been to A+E three times for head injuries. Twice they needed gluing back together so that was a given. Once I was unsure about whether to go or not - he fell 15ft and landed on his forehead, had a massive nosebleed. I took him in the end (after I stopped the nosebleed) because he became really dazed and non-communicative. We were rushed straight through hadn’t even finished checking in at reception before a doctor came to assess as they could see he wasn’t right. We stayed for observation but within 4 hours he was leaping round the ward (with 2 black eyes) so we were able to go home. All the nurses and the doctor were so relieved and said they had been worried initially. He complained of headaches for a couple of weeks afterward.

@NelleBee that sounds so scary! I’m glad he was ok. This was nothing like that thankfully

Just checked on him had to change his nappy he didn’t wake which is quite usual but he stirred and was batting me away and kicking etc and briefly opened his eyes when he dropped his dummy so he seems ok

He is sleeping quite deeply tonight although was stirring and grumbling in his sleep earlier so I will check on him but he’s probably tired as he was an hour down on his nap today