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Original poster

Left A&E, Not sure I've done the right thing

172 replies

Perfect28 · 13/08/2022 21:59

My 17mo fell out of his pushchair head first on to concrete. about a minute before I said we don't need to strap him in he will be fine. Well he got excited and rocked forward. A massive bump and bruise came up quickly, we called 999 who said to go to hospital. We went and we were not even triaged in nearly two hours. Child seems normal, responsive, alert, no longer in obvious pain. We left and he is now asleep. I will sleep next to him and keep a close eye. Have read all the things to watch out for. Now lying here feeling awful. First it was my fault he wasn't strapped in (lesson well and truly learnt!!) But secondly for leaving before being seen. Advice welcome, and stories of bumped heads too!

The guilt is awful and I feel really anxious.

OP posts:
sageandbasil · 13/08/2022 22:47

@Perfect28 people saying to wake your child up to go back to AnE are just deluded. You know your child. You panicked and took him in, he then is showing jo signs of a head injury so you left. It's late On a boiling hot saturday night. Literally the worst time to be In AnE when you don't need to be.
I really highly doubt a safeguarding referral will come from this 🙄🙄

Thesearmsofmine · 13/08/2022 22:48

StarDolphins · 13/08/2022 22:41

Drs at A&E aren’t going to scan him for internal injuries, they check he’s alert etc & give you a leaflet! then you just make sure he’s not sick within so many hours!

I went with my DD at that age & she’d fallen probably higher than a pushchair- they checked her over & said it’s a good sign the lump appeared outwards (it was like a golf ball!( they then told me what to watch out for & gave me a leaflet!

there will be people that leave A&E all the time like this & I’m pretty sure the SS will not turn up!

This was my experience too. My dc as a toddler fell from a height(around 5ft) in a playground. Just a quick check that he was alert(he was playing with toys by this point) and then a goodbye with a leaflet. We spent around 5 minutes with the doctor.

I probably wouldn’t have called 999 or taken him in the situation you describe OP but as you did you might receive a call from the HV to check what happened, although even that can be hit and miss! Nobody called about my dc!

ZooMount · 13/08/2022 22:49

I can see why you panicked, my DD hit her head on a table once and it came up like a golf ball, it's very scary. Took her to the GP and they just said that as the skin wasn't broken, it wasn't from a height taller than her, no sickness, sleep etc then she was fine. Looked into her eyes to check, but was given a leaflet and sent on her way. I do think as parents we panic but I don't think you're the only one who would have left as they were then feeling fine. Maybe try and get a GP appointment tomorrow to just double check. Try not to beat yourself up about it these things happen. 💐

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whatisheupto · 13/08/2022 22:50

We've been in twice for bangs to head. Both times all they can really do is check eyes are following their moving finger and give you a leaflet. They tell you to come back if they vomit more than twice. Mine vomited once and I went in as I was so worried but even then there was nothing to be done. If you go in with repeated vomiting and confusion etc then they might do a scan/ MRI to check for a bleed on the brain.
Try not to blame yourself OP!

Disneyblueeyes · 13/08/2022 22:58

There's no wonder A&E is so clogged up.

People are being very dramatic. You go back if your child is showing symptoms of concussion. In the meantime, what can a hospital do other than warn you of the symptoms?

curlymom · 13/08/2022 22:58

Not your fault for panicking and calling. I would have just told them that I was leaving and they may have called later to check. But trust your gut, if he didn’t pass out or vomit and you think it’s ok why should you wait?

if you see any change you can probably check with your local walk in centre. X

MissMaple82 · 13/08/2022 23:00

They won't do anything other than the obvious checks. I used to end up in a&e all the time with my son,baiting about for hours on end, they never did anything other than that. Obviously if he shows signs that concern you take him back but honestly I wouldn't worry about it

demogorgan · 13/08/2022 23:05

Widily · 13/08/2022 22:10

I wouldn’t have gone in the first place. Or called 999.

He’s hit his head. There’s no sickness, drowsiness or any other signs of serious injury, what does everyone thing ED is going to say other than “yup, he’s hit his head?”

This. The amount of times I've gone to minor injuries for my 4 kids banging or hitting their heads. We are always just given a leaflet on concussion and warnings like vomiting or sleeping too much and being unable to wake them.
A lump coming out is better than no lump apparently as that can mean it's internal

BabyDreamers · 13/08/2022 23:07

They will report that op so expect to be contacted. You shouldn't have left.

ThreeLocusts · 13/08/2022 23:09

Hi OP, my firstborn hit her head in very similar circumstances - in the stroller, one wheel sank into a gap in a drain cover, she flew forward and forehead hit pavement.

My younger daughter somehow rolled off the bed aged all of six weeks, I can still hear the crack as she hit the floor. Both children were fine.

If you wake yourself every two hours and check for changes in breathing and responsiveness, throwing up etc I think you will have done enough. He needs sleep to recover too, an if he showed no signs of illness it's unlikely they would have done any further investigation in an overrun a+e.

I feel for you, those were long nights after the accidents I mentioned. Don't beat yourself up, just get through those 36 or so hours as best you can. And if anything dies seem off, even if it's hard to pin down, go back.

Eggbuttie · 13/08/2022 23:09

I absolutely wouldn't have called 999 as it isn't an emergency at all that's ridiculous

If you have concerns such as vomiting or loss of consciousness then you should have stayed in A&E.

Agree with other posters that this is a safeguarding red flag

Julia234 · 13/08/2022 23:10

op, call 111.

exactly the same thing with my young child. Asked a few questions, Got told what to look out for and when to seek help.

They weren’t worried. It may help you feel more comfortable.

A and e are not going to scan child unless obvious symptoms so would be a waste of everybody’s time.

Original poster
Perfect28 · 13/08/2022 23:10

Honestly I don't mind being contacted by ss I'm not sure why everyone keeps saying about it? If they do then they are just doing their job.

OP posts:
toogoodforthisworld · 13/08/2022 23:11

@Perfect28
If this would have been your 3rd or 4th child you wouldn't have done anything at all apart from a hug and a cold cloth on the bump.
All of mine survived many many bumps and falls.
The 3rd dd was 1.5 yes old when her buggy (this was 25 years ago so a lot more old fashioned than nowadays) actually flipped 180 degrees and her head smashed into the pavement. Scared me to death! Her lips were all bleeding and she had a big lump but she was absolutely fine.
Your little one will be fine. Kids are so tough and resilient.

toogoodforthisworld · 13/08/2022 23:12

@Perfect28 SS have much better things to do than chase you on stuff like this. Ignore the other posters.

Eggbuttie · 13/08/2022 23:13

To add, my DS4 bumped his head at nursery and was vomiting uncontrollably for hours i took him in myself and seen straight away . All we had was monitoring for 5 hours, he was ultimately fine

DillDanding · 13/08/2022 23:14

I’d have probably done the same as you OP.

I would be monitoring him for anything worrying but that’s the extent of it.

BellePeppa · 13/08/2022 23:16

The exact same thing happened to my son when he was that age. I stupidly didn’t strap him in (first time ever), he jumped out the pushchair and banged his head on the pavement. I was frantic (I heard his head hit the concrete). I took him to hospital and thankfully he was fine but very quiet when we got home 😕. This was nearly 20 years ago and it can still give me a cold sweat. Learn your lesson, like I did, and never leave him unstrapped in his pushchair.

HailAdrian · 13/08/2022 23:22

People on here suggest social services involvement as a scare tactic but even if a referral was made, their job is to provide support if they feel it's needed, not take children away over a bump to the head. That's if they can even find the time.

iamshergar · 13/08/2022 23:24

I’m not having a go by asking this, I’m genuinely curious: do you think 2 hours is an unexpectedly long time to be waiting in a&e? What were your expectations of the visit?

ladydimitrescu · 13/08/2022 23:25

They will flag this as safeguarding and you will likely get a call from social services. This is exactly the kind of thing they follow up, if an injured child is removed from a&e without being seen - of course that's a safeguarding concern. So no, it's really not dramatic to suggest this as pp have suggested.

Maray1967 · 13/08/2022 23:31

My now 14 year old bumped the back of his head at 6 months old. He was seen quickly in a&e (we were in France, thank god). Advice was to wake him every two hours through the night to check he was responsive.

when our oldest bumped the front of his head when he was 3 we weren’t told that, but just to keep an eye on him. In neither case were they out of it for any length of time or vomiting- the two things we were asked about. Crying loudly was seen as a good sign.

I would sit up or set your alarm and check him every two hours.

SeenYourArse · 13/08/2022 23:33

Widily · 13/08/2022 22:10

I wouldn’t have gone in the first place. Or called 999.

He’s hit his head. There’s no sickness, drowsiness or any other signs of serious injury, what does everyone thing ED is going to say other than “yup, he’s hit his head?”

This 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼

Mariposista · 13/08/2022 23:34

2 hours? A&E waits are more in the region of 6 for non life threatening emergencies on a Saturday night. Not the best choice made there - take your kid for a check up.

PurpleSproutingSomething · 13/08/2022 23:34

My job is in SS Safeguarding. We would definitely be giving you a call on Monday am.
We'd be asking how your DS was feeling now, have you made an appt to see your GP, and maybe a quick check in (with your permission) with your HV to see if they had any concerns.

Nothing scary, just a check in, and advise you in future that you should probably stay if you'd been advised to go to A&E.