what should you do if child falls down stairs?

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Common Sports Injuries and How to Prevent Them, What to do if your infant falls off the bed or changing table, Home fall prevention, infants ages birth to one year, A caregiver falling asleep while feeding or rocking their baby, and the baby drops out of their arms, A caregiver carrying a baby who trips, falls, and drops the baby, Falling down stairs when they are first becoming mobile and exploring their surroundings, Falling onto or against hard or pointy surfaces as they are learning to roll, walk, and, Discharge or blood is coming out of your baby's nose or ears, The soft spot (fontanelle) on their skull begins to swell, There are signs of a skull fracture (bruising, swelling of head, bleeding, cut on the scalp), Your baby's limbs, neck, or spine look out of alignment or deformed, and you suspect a bone break, There is any sign your baby is not behaving like their normal self; for example, appearing lethargic or not feeding properly, Call your doctor; they may or may not ask you to bring your baby in, but you should check in soon after a fall for advice, Clean any cuts or scrapes with soap and water, Apply a cold compress or ice pack to any reddening spots or bumps to prevent swelling, Keep watch over your baby for the next several hours for signs of a concussion or other brain injury (dizziness, headache, extreme crankiness, seems less alert and less coordinated, looks sweaty, pale, or begins to vomit), If your baby is sleepy,your doctor may advise you to let them sleep, but check on them at two-hour intervals to make sure they are doing well, Ask you to describe how your baby fell, and how they behaved right after the fall, Examine your baby for signs of minor or more serious injury, Tell you what to look for in your baby over the next 24 hours, such as signs of concussion or other brain injuries, Tell you whether its necessary to check on your baby that night while they sleep, Let you know if a follow-up visit is necessary, and what to do in cases of emergency, Go over your home safety plan to prevent future falls. If you must wear tight skirts, walk up and down stairs by putting both feet on each stair, rather than alternating stairs. To soothe them, you can apply a cold compress for 20 minutes to help the swelling go down. To soothe them, you can apply a cold compress for 20 minutes to help the swelling go down. Make a habit of wearing shoes with good treads when youre up and down, and avoid clothing that drags on the floor. What to do if your infant falls off the bed or changing table. Each of these scenarios requires an immediate 911 call: If any of these signs are presentespecially if your baby shows signs of neck, spine, or scalp injuryit is best not to pick your baby up to console them, because if you move them, you risk worsening the injuries. Attach the safety gate securely to the wall on one side. Remember to stay away from any anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin or ibuprofen, because it can make any bleeding worse. If you want to learn how to gate your stairs to prevent falls, keep reading the article! The old adage that babies are made of rubber applies much of the time. A head injury is a common childhood experience that can happen at any age whether its the newly mobile baby rolling off the bed, the elementary school kid falling off the jungle gym, or the teenage athlete colliding with an opposing team member. We avoid using tertiary references. had exact fall last year. Should I take my child to hospital after hitting head? Never use a pressure gate to block a stairway, as it will not be secure. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. In this situation, the most important thing you can do is carefully observe your child, and should you have concerns, dont hesitate to follow your instincts and call your doctor. Stairway falls can cause trauma to the walls of spinal discs, causing them to painfully compress or bulge (slip). Dont rush to contact your doctor or call 911 just yet. easter egg, The Last of Us | 1.2K views, 27 likes, 0 loves, 1 comments, 1 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Nerdist: Every easter egg in The Last of Us. excessive bruising and/or swelling. Let your child rest, as needed, for the next few hours. Please note, we cannot prescribe controlled substances, diet pills, antipsychotics, or other abusable medications. Fell down stairs this am hurting my back i landed on the floor with the bottom step against my back i have hot searing pain and moving? You can give children acetaminophen for pain, but check with your child's doctor before giving any other medication. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 184,082 times. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. According to the CDC, falls are the leading cause of non-fatal injuries in children under 19 years old. Balance problems or dizziness.Common concussion symptoms can include: There are three grades: Grade 1: Mild, with symptoms that last less than 15 minutes and involve no loss of consciousness. We do NOT recommend waking your child at night after a minor head injury. They may need medical attention at some point, however. - Martha's Breast Cancer Story. The first thing you can do is pick your baby up and console them. Do let them. When you take the stairs, pay attention to each step, use the handrail, and take your time. I fell down stairs 2 days ago and my toe is super sore. Even if you feel fine, you could have a fracture that you don't notice due to the shock and adrenaline of the accident. . ty. HealthTap uses cookies to enhance your site experience and for analytics and advertising purposes. Children younger than 4 years of age were more likely to sustain head trauma than children older than 4 years of age (P less than .005). Remember that almost all parents have been there at one time or another. Doctors receive calls all the time about baby falls, and will not judge you when you share what happened. These can be applied to the full stair, or just the leading edge. If you fall down the stairs, seek medical treatment immediately. For the majority of childhood head injuries, CT scans of children are not necessary.&. Get prescriptions or refills through a video chat, if the doctor feels the prescriptions are medically appropriate. If the fall should cause a broken bone with skin disruption, get emergency care immediately. You should call 911 right away in these cases. His thud, his wretched cry, his brother's scream, are still echoing . If your ankles are weak, make sure you also include ankle support when walking down stairs. Although fall-related incidents also run the risk of leaving a person with back injuries, one might not start to feel tightness or pain in this region until hours or days later. Dr. Satish Sundar answered Pediatrics 36 years experience Should be seen: Yes i would suggest, you should go in. Stairs Never leave a child alone around stairs even those that are gated. So it stands to reason that you should take every fall your baby experiences seriously, and carefully assess the situation. Or pick your baby up. When should I take my kid to the emergency room for neck, back or possible spinal injuries? An ankle sprain or knee sprain occurs when your ligaments that stabilize your joint stretch or tear. Fortunately, most baby head bumps are mild. Thats why watching your child closely for the first 24 to 48 hours after a head injury is important. back pain that worsens or continues for more than a few weeks, pain anywhere that is severe and doesnt respond to over-the-counter pain relievers, such acetaminophen or ibuprofen, headaches that come and go or linger for days, heightened sensitivity to light and other stimuli, blurry vision that you didnt have before, swelling that doesnt subside with ice and rest, numbness in the extremities or in your groin. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.
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