20 month old just dived off the side of the sofa - should I be worried????

[Lukesmammy]

My ds is a very energetic little thing and has started doing this thing where he lies on the sofa with his top half hanging over the side. I tell him off and oull him down but he thought it was a game so have just started to pick him up and remove him from sofa when is not sitting quietly etc.

This morning, he was happily watching Peppa Pig, me at one side, him at the other when he decided to hang over the side once more. I went to grab him and put him down but before I could reach over he slipped off.

My heart is in my mouth, I think he sort of landed on his head/back of his neck and then rolled onto his back. He screamed for a few minutes and then seemed fine and carried on watching tv. Do you think I should ring NHS Direct? My Mam, Dad, DH all seem to think he will be fine as he is running around?

Gah - I just have horrible images of what could have happened in my head. I just couldn't get there fast enough

Don't worry.
my dd used to do the same thing.

He probably only screamed because he got a fright.
Their joints are really flexible at this age and it is unlikely that he has done any harm, especially as it has not been from a great height.

Might cure him of doing it again

I expect he is fine, and learned a lesson.

When dt2 was 2.6 I caught her standing on the arm off the sofa and throwing herself backwards onto the sofa, I told her not to etc, I looked away for a second, turned round at she was at it again, only facing the wrong way, it was like slow motion, she threw herself off and hit her head on the hard floor, I picked her up and she passed out, it was awful, had her checked over but she was fine.

Thanks all. He was fine for about an hour after he did it and then a while later has turned a bit grizzly and hyper - not sure that it has anything to do with what he has done, maybe just tired and grumpy? Think I am over watching him for signs of differences now.

He is napping now so will just keep popping up to check on him. This is his normal nap time so am not worried that he is overly sleepy.

Will just have to keep an eye on him. He hasn't learned his lesson by the way - he tried to do it again about an hour ago but I was fast enought to stop it this time. Can you get fireguards for sofa's?????!!!!!!!!!

also wanted to say whoingodsnamewasi - you must have been in bits that sounds awful - glad all was okay though.

StarlightMcKenzie - you too. Why do they do it????

Hi Lukesmummy ...

DD had quite a bad fall when she was younger, basically bounced off the bed and hit her head on a metal side table. She was fine (after she stopped screaming) but I took her to hospital just to check her out (pfb syndrome and all that + I'm paranoid!!)

I'm no medic but just thought it might be useful if I repeat what the doctors said to me on that occasion:

(1) did she cry on landing? Answer yes = very good sign
(it's much more worrying when they don't cry from their pov)

(2)has she been throwing up? Answer no = good. Hwr, small dc often throw up after a fall but best to get checked out if they do as poss indicative of something more serious

(3) are pupils reacting to light? Yes = good

(4) keep your child under careful observation for the next 48 hrs (so check regularly during the night) Any drowsiness, vomiting or floppiness, immediately take to hospital.

Other than that, if they are reactive, talkative, and of normal pallor (even when sleeping) and their breathing is regular = all fine ...

I was glad to know all this two months later when dd managed to fall down the bottom part of our stairs as it meant I didn't have to haul her off to the A&E again ...

Hope your ds is still doing fine .. and that you have recovered from the shock! I think most of these events are more stressful for the mother frankly!!

don't I know it countingthegreyhairs!

Thanks for your advice. My DS fell over once before when he was furniture cruising at about 11 months, he literally just fell backwards from standing and hit his head on the floor.

I am/was a bit paranoid too (pfb also) so rang nhs direct and they told me the above.

The scary thing is he started vomiting after his lunch a couple of hours later - immediate panic and off to a&e we went - the Doctors were convinced his vomiting had nothing to do with falling backwards but he kept vomiting so they kept him in under observation.

He kept being unwell so they took a sample of his now very runny poo and discovered he had caught rotavirus! I had taken him to a soft play area a couple of days earlier and he must have picked something up from the ball pool they reckoned.

How is that for coincidence?? I was in bits and convinced that he must have really hurt his head when he fell back ever so slightly onto the carpeted floor .

I'm going to be a wreck by the time he is 5 aren't I??

You and me both LukesMummy ...!!

Crikey, how worrying about the fall followed by rotovirus, poor lad.

... it does get better though in terms of falls and things .....dd is 5 now and all we tend to have to cope with nowadays are a few scraped knees and the odd wobbly tooth! Fingers crossed anyway ....