Oh my gosh, feel like an awful mum!

[susiesuelou]

I'm quite possibly the most anxious mother in the world, so please don't judge me.

My 20 month old is obsessed with climbing up onto the dining chairs and wanting to sit "at the big table". I try to monitor this very closely every time she does it as I'm scared of her falling or trying to climb on the table etc. Anyway I was literally sitting at the chair beside her putting some colouring things out for her, I turned for 5 seconds to put something in the bin and when I turned back she was falling backwards. I didn't manage to grab her before I heard her head hit the wooden floor 😭 She SCREAMED. I'm cuddling her now and she's stopped crying but j feel absolutely dreadful and I'm scared she's badly injured. Do I need her to be checked over? Or am I overreacting? as I know toddlers do have bumps etc. it was just the sound her head made on the floor, I felt sick and still do 😓

Thanks for any advice. Please don't judge me I'm so annoyed at myself as it is.

That was not what I was told when my two were in A & E - perhaps advice has changed but it’s crap that you are left thinking not to go because you’ll be waiting for hours. And a young child can’t tell you if they have a headache.
Both times mine were properly examined with doctors checking their skull and eyes. We weren’t just left in a waiting room and given an advice card.

I feel for you OP. We've all been there. Last week I watched my son fall off a chair and hit his head on the concrete floor. I still wonder what the hell I was doing watching him climb on a chair, brain just didn't compute. I'm sure she'll be fine, just watch for signs of a concussion to be on the safe side

Mine hit their head badly once. I was told to check for bruising behind their ears, check no clear fluids coming out of ear, and feel their skull for gaps. If old enough ask if they have headache/feel sick/dizzy. They did have to go to hospital but it was because they felt sick (thankfully they were fine).
At hospital they shone a light into their eyes to check for concussion and did regular obs for an hour (maybe 2). Then given an advice sheet that basically said to look out for the original symptoms including drowsiness.
I hope your little one will be fine.

My oldest was a climber and forever banging herself, she fell and hit her head in the garden on a wooden block, had the biggest golf ball on her head. Took her to the Docs and she was fine. But it is scary.

Oh my god, I did that once, when I was about 12. My whole arm was one massive bruise because of how I fell. We were going on holiday and my parents were terrified of taking me swimming because they thought they'd get arrested for neglect (even though it was absolutely my fault for dicking around!)

I don't think there's anything to worry about. In the UK doctors won't do anything unless there's any other symptoms, so just best to keep an eye out. Also children's skulls at this age are not fused and are actually designed to protect them from bumps and falls more than adults as children are more prone to bumps and falls.

Please don't feel 'bad' it happens to some of the best mum's in the world. My daughter was 6/7 I think and she grabbed onto to towel rail in the bathroom. She fell forwards as it ripped off the wall leading to her mouth (fraenum) being impaled on the screw sticking out the wall .... it was horrific. I had 'bad mother syndrome' for weeks.

My son did this on our tiled kitchen when he was little, it’s absolutely horrific especially the thud! He had pulled himself up to stand holding into the chair when learning to do that and tumbled backwards. I took him to a and e but I think if I’d have had as much experience with children as I do now back then I wouldn’t have. Every caring and competent mother feels like you do now at some point and you are completely in the right to get her checked over if you feel it’s needed. I do believe the advice given is to watch for drowsiness, nausea and confusion if you are worried but not wanting to wait in a and e but I also think a and e’s normally prioritise infants especially if head injuries are involved.

I'm curious what do doctors in other countries do? What could you do??

Wow if every child who bumped their head rushed to A+E "to get checked properly" then the system would halt entirely in an hour. Much as we are seeing the the strep/temperature hysteria.

That's because they are paid item of service so the more patients they see the more they get paid rather than here where we are paid a set amount "eat as much as you like buffet". So doctors here practice good medicine not fleece the patient medicine!

@memorial In other countries if you were paying for treatment for example you could ask them to do a head scan or something to put mind at rest. Here as resources are already stretched they would only do anything if there were other symptoms not just because you are worried which is fair enough.

My DD fell down our very steep stairs when she was 2. I had put my hand out for her to hold to walk down the stairs and we kind of missed each others hands and she just fell right down them and was lying in a heap on the floor crying.

I couldn't check her. I was too scared. My husband had to, it was fucking horrible. DD is 14 now, but I can clearly recall the sequence of events like it was yesterday.

Luckily she was fine. We knew what signs to check for and didn't have to take her to the hospital, but omg, I felt awful for ages after.

Give 111 a call if you’re concerned about concussion

This is an old thread from 21st Dec!
I'm pleased to report that DD was absolutely fine 😊
Thanks everyone for your messages