2 yr old ds had bad fall down stairs - how long to be on high alert?

[pianojazzgirl]

Last night we were at a friend's b-day party. We spent the entire time in the backyard and when it was time to leave we came inside and were gathering coats etc when suddenly there was a huge thump and someone yelled "oh my god!". Turns out my ds had fallen down the basement stairs (9 steps) onto the concrete floor. The door to the basement was closed but I guess not quite latched shut and when he leaned against it he just fell right down.

Anyway, we went to the hospital via ambulance and he got checked out - everything looked ok. The dr said that for kids as young as him they don't do head x-rays they would only do a CT scan, but since he wasn't showing any troublesome symptoms it didn't seem indicated at that time. So we were sent home with the standard warning to come back if he doesn't seem himself, etc, etc.

My question is: how long should we be on high-alert looking out for signs of a slowly-developing problem? Today he is completely himself, playing normally and happy, etc. Last night I pretty much didn't sleep, just watched him to make sure he was still breathing. I'm still feeling pretty nervous today... it was definitely one of the scarier mommy moments I've had to date!

[punkrawkmama27]

Oh that must have been scary! I always worry that my 1 yo ds will fall down our stairs. We have a gate, but sometimes dh leaves it open, or now ds likes to try to pull up on it.

None of my children have fallen down stairs, but we have had our share of head injuries. Just last week ds was trying to build a tree house in a tree with his friend, when a board fell out of the tree and landed on ds head. I was very worried, but was told to watch him over the night. He was sore, but the next day he was fine.

I think the first night is the most critical time and worrysome time.

[pianojazzgirl]

Thanks mama. It's been over 24 hrs now and he seems totally fine. I guess I'll be able to actually sleep tonight instead of worrying and watching to make sure he's breathing!

[punkrawkmama27]

How is your little guy today? I hope he is feeling better.

[pianojazzgirl]

Thanks for asking mama.

Well you won't believe it, but 36 hours after his fall he got gastro, but of course we didn't know if it was gastro or he was vomiting/tired because of something horrible like bleeding on the brain. We called the nurse helpline here and they said we needed to take him in to the ER to get checked out. So one puked-on-carseat, stress, panic and ER wait later we find out it's just a tummy bug. Which of course he was almost completely over after getting home from the hospital and taking a long nap. Oy vey!

Anyway, obviously I am BEYOND immensely relieved that a tummy bug is all that it was!

(Now we're just waiting to see who else in the family gets it.. keeping fingers crossed that it's not too bad)

[punkrawkmama27]

That must have been scary! I am glad it is just a stomach bug, even though that is no fun either. Hope he feels better soon and it doesnt go through your whole family.

[~Charlie's~Angel~]

I just did a search in Health and Healing for Head Injuries and this was the first post that popped up. I hope your family is all doing better today.

I think I got my answer, but for background.....

DS2 was running on blacktop and just lost his footing. I litterally saw his head bounce off the concrete. He started crying IMMEDIATELY. his forehead had a green dent in it as soon as I brought him in. I started cleaning out what was scraped and bleeding a little, and just held him close and hugged him. He stopped crying within about 5-10 minutes. He was right back to playing once the crying was over. The green dent soon turned into a nasty blackish purple egg. He fell asleep in the car on the way home from where we were, but I kept waking him (to be sure)

When we got home, he resumed to playing, laughing, screeching, just being super happy. He never threw up, never seemed dazed or confused, not at all irritable (well, no more so then usual, ) He ate good. So I decided by that night (It had been roughly 12 hours since the fall) that he must be ok. I checked on him once in the night, he slept good. Woke up the next morning, rip, roaring and ready to go.

The initial fall happened Sunday morning. Are we out of the danger zone?

[Marnica]

we had a head injury about 6 months ago.

DS 18 months at the time, fell out of a shopping cart on his head....oh the guilt I suffered for that...I still feel badly 6 months later.

We took him to the ER and they did advise us to do a CT scan.. At first I wanted to decline....take a wait and see approach, but I remebered my good friend's sister who fell off a slide at age 4, bumped her head and seemed ok....
12 hours later, she was back at the ER with a brain bleed and became, as a result, a parapelegic. That and Natasha Richardson.

99 times out of 100, head bumps turn out fine, but I always say err on the side of caution.

Barbie - yes with the fall happening on Sunday, you are good to go

if something were to be wrong I think it would happen within 24 hours

OP glad your guy is ok!

[MommytoB]

Glad your son has been doing good and falls with head are scary ones. When it comes to head owies I just have to see if it's worth it to take him to see the doctor or ER.

Believe me my boy has bonked his head into so many things many times including this one time he was fooling around at age 2 and ran his head right into the side of the bathtub so he must have mommy's tough skull because I had a shorter type of grandfather clock fall on my head . All I did was walk away go oww that hurt that was when I proably was 6 or 7.

Anyways, more likely I just call the healthline or the nurse line if doctors are closed or I speak to my son pediatrician nurse to see what she has to say .

I remember the first couple of times I freaked out but then as long as I was aware that kids have tough skulls if they act normal afterwards then everything is fine.

So I know Brendan will fall down and pick himself right up to get back on that bike he has strong bones . It's amazing how many times he can fall down then get back on.

[Marnica]

Originally Posted by MommytoB

Glad your son has been doing good and falls with head are scary ones. When it comes to head owies I just have to see if it's worth it to take him to see the doctor or ER.

Believe me my boy has bonked his head into so many things many times including this one time he was fooling around at age 2 and ran his head right into the side of the bathtub so he must have mommy's tough skull because I had a shorter type of grandfather clock fall on my head . All I did was walk away go oww that hurt that was when I proably was 6 or 7.

Anyways, more likely I just call the healthline or the nurse line if doctors are closed or I speak to my son pediatrician nurse to see what she has to say .

I remember the first couple of times I freaked out but then as long as I was aware that kids have tough skulls if they act normal afterwards then everything is fine.
So I know Brendan will fall down and pick himself right up to get back on that bike he has strong bones . It's amazing how many times he can fall down then get back on.

While I do agree that most of the time the above is true...just because a child acts normally afterwards does not mean everything is fine. see my above post about my friend's sister. She acted normally afterwards for over 12 hours until she complained of a headache. She most certainly was not fine although she appeared to be. I don't think head injuries are anything to fool with personally