We had a little bump yesterday; we went from sitting to falling off to our side and knocking our head against a hard ledge. There was swelling, a little bruising and a very small would.
I was glad that I had read through basic baby first aid when it happened and checked to see if the swelling was hard or soft and squishy (skull fractures). Then, I immediately made Ahalya lie down comfortably and kept ice on it (an ice pack wrapped in a nappy). I checked her pupils (with my phone’s torch) to see if they were dilating differently (in case of a concussion) and also checked to see if she was responding to normal cues. I continued to monitor her for a few hours until she slept and still checked on her behavior until today, for 24 hours, in order to make sure she was okay. She’s fine and her usual mischievous self, so finally momma is relived.
But, I also realized that knowing what to do when that little accident happened, made me feel in control and less panicky. I also felt confident dealing with the situation because I had some understanding of what to do and what causes of concern to look out for.
So, I thought I’d share with you the basics of what to know and do in case your baby knocks her head on a sharp edge or hard surface.
First, you’d want to make sure that your child doesn’t have any serious wounds with bleeding that doesn’t seem to cease or any broken bones.
If all seems to be okay, get your baby to a resting position, lying down, and apply ice on the swelling (don’t apply ice directly on baby’s skin), on and off, for about 5 minutes. If you are breastfeeding nurse the baby as it will relieve his/her pain.
But rush to the ETU or call an ambulance if your child has lost consciousness and doesn’t seem to breathe (apply infant CPR if you know how to), if you suspect fractures or are unable to stop the bleeding, in case of a seizure, if your baby is unresponsive, if you see an obvious deformity in his or her limbs, blood showing in the whites of the eyes or pinkish fluid or blood draining from the nose or ears, persistent vomiting, excessive sleepiness, weakness or confusion, prolonged crying/screaming, or change in eye movement and pupil response.
PINKPOPPYPETAL 