Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

My 3.5 year old ran into a zip wire at the park

60 replies

PrincessHail · 17/05/2022 16:25

Posting here for traffic.

He ran straight into one of those mini zip wires at the playground. The thing seat the boy was coming down on hit him and he fell onto the ground and hit the back of his head.
The ground was tarmac.
I literally took my eyes off him for a second, I’m so annoyed at myself because I’m usually a ‘helicopter’ parent.

He wasn’t knocked out and cried pretty much immediately after the initial shock. No vomiting as yet and seems alert and as normal , just had an ice lolly.

I thought maybe we should go straight to A&E but my partner thinks watch him this evening and monitor how he is until bedtime.

Does anyone have any experiences of this? I always watch him like a hawk, especially around swings etc. I’m so frustrated and upset at myself.

I’ve added a pic of the kind of thing I’m talking about (not the exact one).

My 3.5 year old ran into a zip wire at the park
OP posts:
Jules912 · 17/05/2022 16:27

Ring 111 and they'll tell you the signs to look for and if A&E is necessary, but if he's alert and happy now then that's a good sign.

Seaofhats · 17/05/2022 16:28

Don’t blame yourself these things happen. If there’s no major swelling, he wasn’t knocked out and he’s behaving normally just keep an eye on him.

Gooseberrypies · 17/05/2022 16:28

He cried for a bit and now he’s fine?? Why on earth would you need to go to A&E? Kids fall over.

underneaththeash · 17/05/2022 16:28

If he seems well, didn't lose consciousness/vomited and isn't in any pain, I'd see how he is tonight.

This leaflet is quite good.

southendccg.nhs.uk/about-us/key-documents/advice-sheets-for-parents/2674-head-injury-advice-sheet-for-parents/file

Hankunamatata · 17/05/2022 16:30

Mine seemed to have a death wish at pre school age.
Check with 111 but if he was mine I'd watch and see. He wasnt knocked out, he isn't in pain, he isn't sleepy and he hasnt vomited

SiobhanSharpe · 17/05/2022 16:30

If he seems ok ( not confused or sleepy) and there's no actual wound that might need to be attended to then I think your partner is right. Watch and wait and see.
Hope he's fine. 💐

Original poster
PrincessHail · 17/05/2022 16:38

underneaththeash · 17/05/2022 16:28

If he seems well, didn't lose consciousness/vomited and isn't in any pain, I'd see how he is tonight.

This leaflet is quite good.

southendccg.nhs.uk/about-us/key-documents/advice-sheets-for-parents/2674-head-injury-advice-sheet-for-parents/file

He’s definitely the green section on this one currently.
He’s talking and interacting fine, watching his favourite TV programme and not been sick. Just eaten a satsuma after his ice lolly.
Maybe it looked worse than it was.

OP posts:
OnlyFoolsnMothers · 17/05/2022 16:42

Id give paracetamol for bumped heads and monitor him

Howabsolutelyfanfuckingtastic · 17/05/2022 16:45

I'd say that you definitely don't need to take him to A&E, he wasn't knocked unconscious which is a big factor. Just keep an eye out for any swelling, vomiting, headache or if he seems unusually sleepy or disorientated. Don't beat yourself up about it, children have accidents and you can't be by them every second of the day unfortunately. If he seems fine in himself then i'm sure he's got over it and maybe learnt a valuable lesson too. As difficult as it is, all Mum's go through these things. Relax💐

Lupyto · 17/05/2022 16:52

does Shining a torch in the eyes to see if pupils shrink still a recommended way to check for any brain inflammation? I don’t think it would hurt to phone 111 to ask advice if you are worried

GarlicGnocchi · 17/05/2022 16:53

Jules912 · 17/05/2022 16:27

Ring 111 and they'll tell you the signs to look for and if A&E is necessary, but if he's alert and happy now then that's a good sign.

Yes I'd do this. 111 are good for this sort of thing.

SummerHouse · 17/05/2022 16:53

Yes just monitor. And this is not your fault. They kind of need the pain to teach them to be cautious for themselves.

I saw my sister's child run down a hill into a brick wall. I still remember the crack of it. I was very much "he needs to go to a and e". My sister kindly conveyed that I had one child and she had three. And this meant we were on very different pages of the parenting treatment guide. 😂

GarlicGnocchi · 17/05/2022 16:54

Gooseberrypies · 17/05/2022 16:28

He cried for a bit and now he’s fine?? Why on earth would you need to go to A&E? Kids fall over.

Because OP doesn't have any scanning equipment or presumably a medical degree

Harridan1981 · 17/05/2022 16:58

Are you sure it wasn't that bouncy tarmac? So few places have actual hard tarmac now.

Porcupineintherough · 17/05/2022 17:00

Well I wouldn't take him to a&e unless he develops any symptoms of concern and I wouldn't bother with 111 either. I'd just keep an eye and be guided by the sheet above. This may be his first big bang on the head but unlikely to be the last.

Porcupineintherough · 17/05/2022 17:02

@GarlicGnocchi neither a scan nor a medical degree are needed to look out for signs of concussion.

coffeecupsandfairylights · 17/05/2022 17:04

I very much doubt it's proper tarmac, it will be that soft bouncy stuff if it's in a children's playground.

If he's not showing any signs of concussion I'd just monitor him at home - chances are he's absolutely fine :)

Raindancer411 · 17/05/2022 17:12

I would ring 111 for advice, or take him if you are unsure. The Drs always say to me they would prefer you take them than not...

My son went to sit down at school and a chair was moved from behind him. He fell and hit his head on a wooden edge. School said he seemed ok when I went to pick him up after school.

When I got home he was fine, no headache, didn't feel sick or sleepy. But I knew he wasn't right as he had didn't remember a toy he had got the day before when I asked him to tell Nanny about it.

I called 111 and when I explained that, they wanted to send an ambulance which made me worry. We took him up in the end and the Dr we saw said there are three types of concussion...

  1. cognitive - trouble remember or doing something like a maths question type thing.
  2. The sickness and headache (so physical symptoms)
  3. Change of moods - so really angry or really emotional.

At least that was my experience. Go with your gut, and don't feel bad for going if that is what you want to do for your peace of mind. I hope he feels better soon x

PetersRabbitt · 17/05/2022 17:14

It’s not your fault! It’s part of living!!! Accidents happen.

im sure he will be fine.

Binsk · 17/05/2022 17:16

This exact scenario happened to me as a kid, only I was knocked out. I probably should have been checked because of that, but I wasn't and was fine. I'd treat it the same as any head bump and only get seen if worrying symptoms start.

Original poster
PrincessHail · 17/05/2022 17:18

@Harridan1981 I think it was a rubber floor.

OP posts:
thevanilla · 17/05/2022 17:19

Gooseberrypies · 17/05/2022 16:28

He cried for a bit and now he’s fine?? Why on earth would you need to go to A&E? Kids fall over.

this. PFB?

iRun2eatCake · 17/05/2022 17:21

Lupyto · 17/05/2022 16:52

does Shining a torch in the eyes to see if pupils shrink still a recommended way to check for any brain inflammation? I don’t think it would hurt to phone 111 to ask advice if you are worried

Only if you're medically trained and know what you're looking out for

JasperHale · 17/05/2022 17:24

Only 3 weeks ago my friend's boy fell off his bunk bed backwards. Cried a lot, than was fine. Only in the late afternoon he fell asleep and was impossible to wake him up, vomited and wet his pants (never happens). But it took many hours since the fall, go with your guts.

NC1010 · 17/05/2022 17:27

111 at first glance. Not A&E.

Do what 111 advise. Kids do this all the time.