My baby fell from the bed. Is there any problem?

Question

My 7 months baby fell from the bed yesterday on her back. I couldn't notice how she fell but we heard a sound and we ran to her only to find here lying on her back crying. The height of the bed is about 50 inch from the floor. She seems to be OK now playing but still I am very scared whether she might have internal injury. How to know whether she had any injury at home ?

Answer 1

Firstly, if you're really worried for any reason or even have a shadow of a doubt take her to a doctor.

Generally babies and toddlers aren't injured in falls as they have softer bones and don't tend to tense up while falling until they've experienced the pain of a few falls. Unless your baby is showing pain or a side effect from the fall such a losing consciousness, it's unlikely you have anything to worry about.

I have five children and you tend to become more relaxed and less worried unless you can see something is wrong or unusual (such as refusing food for more than 2 normal feeds) with the baby after a fall or bump. Babies and toddlers are extremely resilient.

Here is a good page about falls including warning signs to look out for: http://www.babycenter.com/0_falls_397.bc

Call 911 if your child experiences any of the following after a fall:

• A loss of consciousness. If your child isn't breathing, have someone call 911 while you administer infant cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) (if your child is younger than 12 months) or cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) (if your child is 12 months or older) until help arrives. If you're alone, give your child CPR for two minutes, then call 911 yourself.
• Bleeding that you're unable to stop with pressure.
• A seizure.
• If your child is breathing but not responsive — he's unconscious after the fall or you're unable to wake him up after he goes to sleep, for example.

Take your child to the emergency room or talk to his doctor immediately if you notice any of the following:

• Signs of a broken bone, including an obvious deformity, like a wrist that's bent awkwardly, or an arm or a leg that seems out of alignment
• Signs of a possible skull fracture: A soft, swollen area on the scalp, especially on the side of the head (above or behind the ear); blood showing in the whites of his eyes; or pinkish fluid or blood draining from his nose or ears
• Signs of a concussion, such as persistent vomiting or excessive sleepiness. Depending on your child's age, look for a change in how he crawls or walks; headache or dizziness; weakness or confusion; or problems with speech, vision, or motor skills
• Signs of a possible brain injury, such as changes in pupil size and unusual eye movements
• Prolonged crying or screaming, which could indicate a possible internal injury such as abdominal bleeding

Answer 2

Usually babies as more resistant to all kind of injuries as their bones are more flexible and less fragile than the adult ones. Also they regenerate faster as they are still developing and have a really young tissues.

But it's still better to go to doctor. You'll lose couple of hours but will be sure that everything is fine