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Original poster

My baby fell down the stairs last night - Advice!!!!!!!

32 replies

FlamesparrowThePirate · 06/01/2007 10:01

I wasn't staying at home - DH was home with DS (10 months)... fell asleep in bed giving him a bottle (we often cosleep but with DS snuggled into me). He somehow got off the high bed without crying, got across the landing and fell down the whole flight of stairs. Apparently he yelped as he fell, but grinned from the bottom, then did a spectactular poo.

He kept him awake for an hour afterwards (this happened at 3am, so DS was tired anyway).

He seems fine today - smiley, not a bruise on him.

I am worrying that there could be something internal that we can't see though. Should we take him to A&E??? I'm worrying about social services etc if we do (we have no stairgate upstairs yet because he is never allowed up there to crawl - only in his bedroom which does have a gate).

Soooo worried

OP posts:
funkimummy · 06/01/2007 10:02

Don't worry!! If he is not fine, he'll let you know!!!

Our Ds1 did same thing. I ran frantically to Doctors, tears streaming down face, convinced SS would take him away from me.....
all fine!

They are pretty robust!

nutcracker · 06/01/2007 10:03

I think if he had some sort of injury you'd know by now as he wouldn't seem his normal self.

Keep a close eye on him and if you are still worried then take him.

Oh and don't worry about SS. All of my kids have fallen down the stairs at some point, Ds does it regularly as do most kids.

foundintranslation · 06/01/2007 10:04

Just keep an eye on him for the next day or two. If he can be roused easily, doesn't seem confused, doesn't throw up, he should be fine. Falls are horrid, aren't they but babies at that age are very 'elastic' for want of a better word.

princessmel · 06/01/2007 10:04

I would take him to A and E just be sure ( I always think its worth getting them to look in their eyes and do the checks etc) and .....get a stairgate!!!!!

belgo · 06/01/2007 10:05

I would take him to A&E. Just expalin the situation, promise to buy a stairgate, and I'm sure it will be fine.
I have taken dd to A&E several times after crawling out of her bed,and falling off a chair.

belgo · 06/01/2007 10:06

well some conflicting advice here!

hunkermunker · 06/01/2007 10:07

Oh, darling

He sounds fine - I would imagine if he had a pain somewhere, you'd know about it.

DS2 fell off the sofa when he was 5 weeks old (I know, I know - he was asleep on there and fgs a 5wo shouldn't be able to roll, right?!), screamed for a bit, then seemed fine, but we took him to A&E just in case. Nobody "professional" has ever mentioned it to me, despite them taking the details of our GP, etc. He was fine too, despite landing on his face on laminate floor (omg I've never been so scared).

Am impressed by your DS's resilience though - and I did have a small at the spectacular poo.

Hugs, sweetheart - I know how worrying it is.

funkimummy · 06/01/2007 10:07

belgo - As always!!! We all have our own take!! ;)

nightmare - never ask for advice!!!!!

bandstand · 06/01/2007 10:19

as it happened hours ago i should think he would be fine, .. my youngest fell down the stairs so manytimes, wearing my clippy cloppy shoes, other dc leaving the stair gate open etc., i even dropped her on the head and she is fine.. honest

Original poster
FlamesparrowThePirate · 06/01/2007 10:23

Thankyou for so many replies. I'm completely drained (g/dad's funeral yesterday + 8 hours in car/on the road) and now this has knocked me for six.

I will watch him over the next few hours and see if how it goes.

OP posts:
NannyL · 06/01/2007 10:25

i agree with the posts of if he seems fine then he probably is fine

babies really do bounce

just fit a stair gate and count your self lucky that this time he was ok! obvioulsy if he has unusual symtoms in the next day or to go to Drs / A&E but otherwise lve and learn!

(i have fallen down a whole flight of stairs as an adult and been ok!)

LemonTart · 06/01/2007 10:31

Mine did this (without the poo!) and left red scuff marks several feet up the walls as if she cartwheeled down them! She must have been around a year old. We phoned NHS who told us to keep her awake for a couple of hours, not to feed her during this time and only a little to drink if she was desperate any change etc to take her in. She yelled from shock and then brushed herself down and went on playing, nowhere obv. sore, not a single bruise came up and not at all drowsy! She was and is fine.
Ironically, DD2 fell off our bed - climbed up and then launched off backwards in surprise because I (stupidly) lunged to catch her. She only fell that short height but what a scare! She went cold and floppy, very pale. We were getting ready to go to A and E and she got so bad we called an ambulance out instead (we are 40 mins drive away). She was taken in, very bruised on her back, no concussion just shock causing the floppiness but WOW what a scare.
Not always the height or distance that counts is what i am trying to say!
Sorry you have had a rough couple of days. Hope you have a quieter weekend and can relax and enjoy your family xx

kinki · 06/01/2007 11:00

my ds fell down the whole flight of stairs onto the wooden floor at age 16mo. He was completely in shock, wouldn't/couldn't move etc. Didn't help that is was a breath holder as well. We picked him up and rushed him to hospital. We were taken straight through to the resus room because he had fallen 13 stairs and seemed unresponsive. No outward sign of injury. After approx 90 mins he suddenly snapped out of his shock and was completely normal and started moving ok. Not a single injury or bruise on him. We were able to take him home shortly after.

It was me who stupidly left the stairgate open. I'm the one always nagging everyone else to shut it and then left it open myself. On the way to hospital it crossed my mind to make up a reason why or even pretend it was another type of accident. But I know that they would find me out. So I was brazenly honest and told them all it was my fault.

Never once was I judged by the hospital or by anyone else. We were never referred to anyone nor did I receive a 'chat' or 'guidance' about home safety. In short I think the hospital people know what is a real accident and what is not. So if you do have to get him checked out please don't worry about what they will say to you. Hopefully your ds is fine, remember at this young age they don't yet know how to put limbs out to save themselves so they fall in a relaxed flop iykwim, therefore reducing the chance of injury.

kittylette · 06/01/2007 11:03

take him to A&E, dont worry you wont get in trouble,

my son (2) bashed DS2 (5 months at the time) on the head - hard with a hoover attatchment

i was terrified but they were really nice - i thought theyd call SS, but they sent a letter to my HV to say hed had a bump on the head.

they can tell when its genuine accidents

MrsWednesday · 06/01/2007 11:25

I trod on our cat who was lying on the stairs, tripped and dropped DS2 down about 6 steps (he was about 6 months old at the time). He landed face first on the laminate floor, went completely still and had blood coming out of his nose.

We called an ambulance and by the time it arrived he was crying so they said it was likely he'd be ok, but he was kept in hospital overnight for observation. He was completely fine, once we'd cleared the blood from his face there was only a slight red mark on his forehead. It was so completely terrifying and I was wracked with guilt for ages afterwards, but he made a perfect recovery. They are amazingly resilient little things.

The hospital staff were very kind and said it was surprisingly common for this sort of thing to happen. They gave me a leaflet about head injuries that said you should look out for unexplained vomiting, floppiness and drowsiness - it sounds like your DS doesn't have anything like this to worry about.

mummyhill · 06/01/2007 11:46

Flame give little E a hug.

DS fell over at 13 months and cut his forhead I had to take him to A&E and was in a panic but they were fine and there was no follow up. D on the other hand has a rather rakeish scar on his head to show off when he gets older.

Original poster
FlamesparrowThePirate · 06/01/2007 15:49

He seems ok still. Feediing more than usual, but that is a "mummy you came back and must never leave me again" kind of thing. If anything he's more smiley than normal!

Going to drop his cot to his lowest level later - we don't think he can climb, but are overrreacting nicely now

OP posts:
MKG · 06/01/2007 16:20

This just happened to my nephew he fell down 20 wooden steps.

I would take him just to be sure. My sil took my nephew to the Emergency room, and the doctor said that although he seems fine something like "shaken baby syndrome" can takes to a week to show up, and by then it's too late.

I don't want to alarm you, but just to let you know.

Bubbaloo · 06/01/2007 22:48

I'm sure your Ds is fine but I would take him to A&E if it were me,just to be sure.I also trod on one of the cats when Ds was just 3 weeks old and we both fell down the whole flight of stairs.I thought we were both fine as after crying for about 5 mins he seemed ok,but after numerous tests at the hospital it turned out he had a very bad fracture to his skull.He was still feeding fine,not making a fuss and acting normal the whole time we were in hospital which was for 5 days.He also never even had a bruise on his body...somehow.Thank goodness there was no bleeding and no lasting damage,but it's best to get him checked out IMHO.

Original poster
FlamesparrowThePirate · 06/01/2007 23:02

I'm still worrying even though he seems fine. I thin kI'm going to be in a&e tomorrow

OP posts:
bandstand · 06/01/2007 23:05

at least it will set your mind at rest.

Quootiepie · 06/01/2007 23:05

id go to A & E hun. DS fell of the bed at 4 months, and I rushed to A & E, not a question or anything. He was fine, but, down the stairs is quite a fall! I don't want to worry you, but, you wouldnt know if he had internal bleeding or anything (I dont think, anyway)

TrinityRhino · 06/01/2007 23:07

oh flame I'm sorry theres me banging on about nappies, I hadn't seem this sorry wil shut up now

Original poster
FlamesparrowThePirate · 06/01/2007 23:30

lol, its keeping me occupied TR!!! I've just sent you an essay length email

OP posts:
TrinityRhino · 06/01/2007 23:32

ooooo goody, I have just broached the subject with dh and he seemed keen

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