Hi moms! I have asked many questions here and have always got great advice. My 6 month old is learning how to crawl and is all over the place! This morning she lost her balance while crawling and hit her head hard on the leg of the coffee table. It was a very loud boink and she screamed! There is now a very visible swollen spot on the side of her head. I called her doctor and they said she should be fine, just don't let her sleep for an hour and watch her pupils etc. She does appear to be fine, but I am so worried. I am a fidgety first time mom who is probibly over-protective. At 6 months old, are her soft spots on the top of her head? Are they almost closed yet? I am terrified that she hit her soft spot, and if so could her brain be damaged? I know I am probibly being paranoid, as falls and spills are bound to happen. I guess I am asking where are the soft spots on the head, and how do you know what is an ok fall and what is a trip-to-the-emergency-room fall? Blows to the head freak me out! Thanks mamas!
I've always heard that you should be more concerned if they DON'T get a bump as that could indicate that there might be swelling on the inside ... which can be much more dangerous than swelling on the outside. Trust your pediatrician and just keep an eye on her. :)
The soft spots actually work in our favor till they close. The danger with swelling comes if there's swelling inside the skull, which is hard, so there's no place for it to go, and it squishes the brain. I was concerned about the "don't let them sleep" advice because my daughter was always within an hour of a nap at that age. My pediatrician told us that if you can feel the soft spot be soft, and can push it in just a tad, then your daughter's latest head bonk isn't causing trouble inside. This won't work after it closes up (I always heard this happened around 1 yr or later).
M. - I agree with Kim. I've had a few similar experiences with my two and that's the exact same advice we were given. Don't sell yourself short - accidents happen, but it's your job as a mom to make sure the things that happen to your child are handled appropriately. Obviously, you did just that! Brava!
Here is a site that has a couple of pictures :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fontanelle
It says the soft spots can close as early as 9 months.
Soft spots are on top of the head and normally long closed by 6 months of age.
Not that it's 100% true, but I was always told "Better if it's swelling out, then it's not swelling in". They are not completely related as such, but really there doesnt seem to be a reason to worry.
If she has been acting normal, didn't get sleepy instantly and pupils appeared ok then she is probably fine. The only other thing that can be suggested if you are super worried is to make sure she wakes easily. You dn't have to wake her every hour or anything like that, nor do you have to fully wake her, simply wake her to see that she stirs.
The "soft" spots are usually on the top of the head. If your doctor is not overly concerned then take a deep breath and relax. It is not the first head bump she will experience. If the bump or knot has a soft spot in it I would consider talking further with my physician but relax a little bit. She will sense your tension and be more fussy than necessary. It wouldn't hurt to put a cool compress on it to help reduce the swelling.
The soft spots don't close until she is about 18 months to 2 years old. You are not paranoid. Just keep an eye on her. More than likely she will recover rather quickly. If you are ever in doubt about taking her to the ER or keeping her at home, take her. Peace of mind for you and medical attention for her can never hurt. I don't know where you live but our Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus has Urgent Care facilities throughout the city that are open late and on weekends. They are a good option if you don't want to take her to the ER but just get her checked and the pediatrician's office is already closed. And here is a little tip: When my son started crawling, I took the bumper pad and tied it all around the coffee table so that he wouldn't bump his head quite as hard. It has helped numerous times. You might want to try it. If you don't want to use your bumper pad or you don't have one, just check out a local thrift store, chances are they have them for a couple of bucks. I hope your daughter feels better really soon.
My son, who is two, has bumped his head pretty good several times already. (Typical BOY!) Anyways... the first time was in the bathroom on the ceramic tile floor. He tried to take off while I was trying to dry him off after a bath. I was pretty freaked. Ceramic tile is pretty hard.
Here's the advice I got... If he can walk and talk as normal, his balance is normal, his eyes look ok, no vomiting, and no loss of consciouness, he's probably fine. they said to just keep a watch for the next 24 hours.
If you called the doc or a nurse line, I am sure they asked all the right questions.
With three pretty nasty bumps on the head, my son is still very bright for his age, so I don't think there was really any damage. Just a few giant sized bumps with some nasty purple coloring. (And one was right before his 2 year old pics! Eeek!)
So if her behavior seems the same, no vomiting, and you have a bump (rather than a dent) I think you are fine.
