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Once they are on the move Babies move ALOT. Therefore a baby tripping and falling, or running into a wall and bumping it is more of a common occurrence than most new parents think.
Not every one of those bumps needs serious attention or medical assistance, and babies ARE tougher than we think! But there can be times when your gut tells you it might be worth looking into, just to make sure your baby is alright.
First of all, you MUST remain calm. Since your baby might be crying (or even screaming) you have to try not to panic, and instead, assess the situation.
First look into the height of the fall, if it’s less than a foot, you don’t have a lot to worry about. Also, babies cannot tell you how they feel – if they feel drowsy or dizzy, so as the parent it is up to you to pay attention to certain signs in their behavior and judge for yourself.
And hardwood floors, interestingly, are not as tough as ceramic surfaces such as tile or granite, but on dry days (and especially if they are polished well), hardwood floors can be tough surfaces.
This article will tell you what to look out for, how to deal with the aftermath and how to prevent such accidents from happening in your home.
What To Do If Your Baby Fell And Hit Their Head
Here’s what you should do if your baby fell and hit head on hardwood floor:
1. Judge The Fall
As mentioned earlier, if it’s less than a foot, the fall probably won’t have any severe effects. Sometimes babies have soft toys lying around on the floor they like to climb onto, and they might fall over.
But if your baby fell from the height of the bed, the changing table, or a crib (because they’re notorious climbers!), then your baby might be at risk for a head injury.
Also Read: Dropped something on newborn head
It could be even worse if they fell from the top of the stairs.
You have to remain calm, and check for possible signs of injury and head trauma, so that you can make an informed decision on whether you’re taking your baby to the doctor, or if they are alright and take care of them at home.
2. Look For Signs And Symptoms
A normal fall would leave a small bump on the side of the impact, and this is something you shouldn’t necessarily worry about – such things happen ALL THE TIME.
If these bumps are not followed by any further symptoms, your baby is fine and the bump will disappear after some time.
However, if the fall is severe and your baby has bumped their head hard, it might result in a situation like a skull fracture, or a concussion.
Also Read: Baby crying with mouth closed
In such cases, a baby might lose their usual responsiveness, have nausea or vomiting, or even lose consciousness. If this is happening, you MUST take your baby to the doctor at once.
3. Comfort Your Baby After The Fall
You should try to comfort and tend to your baby while watching for any signs or symptoms to appear. You can apply ice to the bumps, and check for any lacerations or wounds that you can treat as well.
- Have baby cold compress ready in your freezer
- Know Baby First Aid
- Prevent injury from falls with soft matting
You must also pay attention to the baby’s sleeping patterns, and if the need arises, contact your doctor.
Read more about symptoms and comforting your baby on this helpful Healthline guide.
Tips For Preventing Falls
Since it’s always better to be safe than sorry, you can take measures to prevent such accidents from happening inside your house. You need to baby proof your house.
In the case of stairs, you can install baby gates that will prevent your toddler or baby from crawling onto the staircase landings (make sure you lock the gates!).
You can also make sure that there are no toys, or any other small objects lying around that can trip your baby or toddler – especially plush toys or even plastic ones that they can climb onto.
And, if your baby has the tendency to climb or hang onto the railings of the crib, make sure you don’t leave them alone in the nursery.
Stairgates ideally should not not be at the top of the staircase but blocking a staircase or blocking the door to your child’s room. This sounds ludicrous, but actually is they come loose or a toddler attempts to climb over the stair gate they can cause the child to fall from a greater height.
Also Read: Baby’s head fell back unsupported
Moreover, if you’re leaving them to crawl around in an open space (such as your living room), make sure all pieces of furniture are firmly attached to the ground and do not have the risk of toppling over.
Final Thoughts
A baby bumping their head is quite a common occurrence and is NOT something that should give you anxiety. Babies can be tough and if every bump gave concussions, most of us wouldn’t make it tough childhood without one.
But there can be instances when the height of the fall can result in a severe injury (which is also VERY rare).
So it is important that you pay attention to your baby at all times, and if your baby ever falls and hits their head on a surface like a hardwood floor, you should remain calm and assess the damage by paying very close attention to their behavior. If there are changes in their behaviour after a fall seek urgent medical help.
The best move, however, is to babyproof your living areas the minute your baby comes home, so that you relax with the assurance that your baby is safe inside the house.
Create spaces where you can lay your baby down safely, don’t be temped to lay a baby down on a sofa, bed or low surface or place a car seat on a high surface and walk away. You never know when your baby might start to roll, sit or be knocked over by something else. Prevention is better than cure.