As a parent to a little one, many things are going on in your environment, and the baby is wiggling and moving around often.
Although your baby may be small, its kicking legs and whipping arms can bring several dangers, including the risk of falling to the floor after you have placed them on your bed. It makes many parents question what to do when a child falls off the bed?
Parents are always freaking out on how to avoid their babies falling. Prevention is the best way to avoid falls; still, accidents can and do happen. It can be pretty scary when your baby falls off the bed, but you can handle the situation and ensure the safety of your little bundle of joy. It is vital to remain calm and sensible when your child falls instead of panicking uselessly and complicating the situation even more. Following is a complete guideline about what to do when child falls off the bed.
What Should You Do at First?
First, do not panic and keep your calm. If signs of distress appear, staying calm will make it easier to address. It is possible the fall could make your baby unconscious, and however, they usually resume consciousness rather quickly. Nevertheless, it is a medical emergency.
Do not move your baby unless they are at immediate risk for further injury. For instance, if your child is vomiting or experiences a seizure, turn them on their side, keeping the neck straight. If you notice blood, gently apply pressure with a gauze or a clean towel or cloth until help arrives.
If your baby does not seem severely injured, gently pick them up and comfort them, as they will be scared and alarmed. While comforting, inspect their head for visible signs of injury. However, you should contact your doctor after any fall from a bed if your baby is under one year old. Moreover, if you do not suspect any signs of injury, easy your baby and once they are calm, inspect them again for any bruising.
Signs You Should Visit the ER
It is always better to get a child medically diagnosed, especially if they fall off on their head. Even if your baby did not become unconscious or appear to have a severe injury, some signs still could require a trip to the emergency room. These include:
- Being inconsolable
- Bulging of a soft spot in the front of the head
- Consistently rubbing their head
- Excessively sleepy
- Bloody or yellow liquid coming from the nose or ears
- High-pitched cry
- Changes in balance or coordination
- Different pupils sizes
- Sensitivity to light or noise
- Vomiting
If you notice such signs, seek emergency attention as quickly as possible. Likewise, if you see any symptoms that your baby is acting on other than usual or something feels off about them, seek medical help immediately. It is best to be safe than sorry in such cases.
Risk Factors for a Fall
Parenting is a risky business and taking risks involves extreme caution. There are many risk factors that can cause a child to fall off the bed. Usually this happens if the care-taker is not around, especially when a child can move about. Following are the risk factors that can cause a child to fall off the bed:
- Leaving the child alone on the bed without support.
- Using beds that have no guards or support on the sides.
- Beds higher than 12 inches can cause a child to fall with a greater force and bang their head.
- Gaps or large holes in which a child’s head or led may get stuck.
Try to avoid leaving a child alone, especially when they can wiggle and move about.
Symptoms of a Concussion
Even if your baby does not indicate concerning signs of injury, it is uncommon but possible that they could have a concussion that is not showing any primary symptoms. A concussion is an injury to the brain that can affect your baby’s thinking. You can inspect your baby through the following changes:
- Being fussy when eating
- Changed sleeping patterns
- Crying more in a specific position than different positions
- Crying more than usual
- Constantly irritable
Moreover, a concussion is not the only injury after falling. Internal injuries can also happen that may include:
- Tearing blood vessels
- Broken skull bones
- Damage to the brain
A goose egg, or a bump on the forehead, is usually harmless, but pay attention to your baby’s behavior and have it checked out if you have any concerns. Swelling in any other part of the head (back, sides, or temples) could be more severe and necessitate a trip to the emergency room. Look out for all these changes in your baby after a fall.
What to Do After a Fall
Babies are naturally fidgety, and falling off a bed while napping or sleeping is common. If this happens, it’s critical to remain calm and look for signs of injury. A fall from a bed, while frightening, usually does not result in serious injury. However, because injuries are possible, caregivers should be aware of signs that a baby requires medical attention following a fall.
After falling, your child may feel sleepy. You should consult the doctor to wake your baby up regularly to check for concussion symptoms. Your baby may be cranky, have a shorter attention span, or vomit. Head and neck pain can also occur. If your baby is breathing and acting normally, letting them rest can be beneficial. It would be best to ask your child’s doctor to give pain medication.
Preventing the Injury
The best thing to do is take measures that help prevent any injury. Babies should not be placed on adult beds unsupervised, as babies can become trapped between the bed and wall or bed and another object. Adult beds certainly do not meet the criteria for safe sleeping that a crib or Playard offers. To avoid falling, always keep at least one hand on a baby on any surface, such as a changing table or adult bed. Do not put your baby on any elevated surface when they are not adequately secured.
It can be pretty scary when your baby falls from a bed. Such falls can result in significant injury, and it is not common if your baby appears uninjured and is acting normally after a severe fall from a mattress. If you have any concerns, call the doctor and ask what symptoms you should watch for and for how long. You can book an appointment with the best Child specialist in Karachi through Marham.