When is a bonk just a bonk?

[alison]

First-time mom alert:

I took my eyes off dd for a second, and she fell backwards (onto carpeting), and bonked her head on the floor pretty hard. She was stunned and then after a delay, the big boogery cry.

She seems ok, energetic, and her eyes focus. No vomitting.

Dh is of course at the hospital until saturday (for all intents and purposes)--on call till late tonight, in again for a 24-hour shift starting tomorrow morning at 6. So, I can't even have him do a once-over on her.

Any suggestions?

[Vanquisher]

She sounds fine. If she starts acting funny or lethargic, take her in, but she sounds okay to me.

[Sheherezade]

And here I thought this was going to be about the Gore's divorce. I agree with Heidi.

[alison]

And here I thought this was going to be about the Gore's divorce. I agree with Heidi.

Wouldn't that be "boink?"

She went down for her first nap, and didn't cry at all when I put her in her crib. That's actually sort of strange, so I think I'll check on her obsessively over the next couple hours. Maybe she just needs a break from her stupid mommy.

It's been a crazy morning. I went in to get her this morning, and she had all these jelly-like crystals in her body, hair, and crib. I think it's from a disposable diaper I used on her overnight. So, I've been cleaning all morning.

[migirl]

I agree, sounds like she's okay. My kids have taken some pretty hard falls, and as long as they can move/use their limbs and seem otherwise okay ... I don't worry about it anymore. I only had one instance where I had to wake DS#1 a few times during the night to make sure he could be roused and didn't have a concussion.

[alison]

Ok...
She went down for her regular nap, and she seems to be sleeping comfortably.

guilt guilt guilt

[JC76]

Z smacked her forehead on the corner of the coffee table last weekend (gotta love this cruising phase...) and almost immediately had a bruise appear, which made me nervous. So I took a photo of it and sent it to DH and asked if I should be worried. He told me to watch out for the following things: inconsolable crying, lethargy, not eating/drinking normally. He then told me to check back in with him in 2 hours, and by then it was totally obvious to me that she was fine. And strangely enough the mark on her head actually looked better, not worse, which also made me feel better.

After he got home he admitted to me that the photo I sent him made him a little nervous too, but he was hesitant to have me bring her in to the ER because she already had another bruise on her face from falling into a table leg earlier in the week and he thought it was really possible that the two facial bruises might trigger some scrutiny. He decided since she seemed ok when we talked that it was okay for her to not come in and just for me to keep a close eye on her for 2 hours.

Don't know if any of that helps, hopefully it does. And you're not a stupid mommy, you just have an adventurous child. At least that's what I keep telling myself...

[SuzySunshine]

R has fallen backwards and knocked his head on the carpeted floor a few times because it seems like he only falls backwards when I forget to put a pillow behind him when he's sitting! DH told me that when either of the kids fall, to not immediately pick them up, to give them just a few seconds to make sure they do start crying and moving all limbs. Then I can pick them up. If they don't start crying or moving limbs them I'm supposed to call him regardless of where he is or what he's doing.

[alison]

I called our pediatrician. I kept thinking about dd having a brain hemorrhage, and decided to just call in to ask what I'm supposed to look for in the next hour, next 24 hours, next 72 hours. I just needed peace of mind.

We went to dd's baby group, and one of the boys crawled up to dd and gave her a hug. It was really sweet; as if he knew something had happened this morning. And then, dd kissed him on the lips!!! It was really funny. I think she'll be ok.

[ladymoreta]

Haha! You'll have to keep an eye on her for another reason! So glad it seems like she's going to be fine. Don't feel bad about calling the pediatrician. I actually made an appointment and took DS in because of a diaper rash!

[alison]

And then she teased him for the rest of the baby group! She was crawling behind him and following him wherever he went. It was so stinking cute.

I would have gone in for dd's first diaper rash. It looks so painful!!!

[ladymoreta]

I know! I was thinking there's no way that could be normal! The Dr. was so nice about it though, and did a great job of not making me feel like an idiot.

[HouseofWool]

I know! I was thinking there's no way that could be normal! The Dr. was so nice about it though, and did a great job of not making me feel like an idiot.

Laurie - I have taken both kids in for rashes. Mostly because mine end up with yeast rashes and the OTC stuff does not cut it. Thankfully a bit of nistatin does the trick for us.

Haha! You'll have to keep an eye on her for another reason! So glad it seems like she's going to be fine. Don't feel bad about calling the pediatrician. I actually made an appointment and took DS in because of a diaper rash!

small hijack, but helpful to new moms: the very bestest rash cream I've ever found is a combination of equal parts Desitin (the original, not creamy), Aquaphor, and Myloxx. It's *really* hard to incorporate the Myloxx, so just keep stirring. My ped gave me the "recipe" when Jacob had a really, really bad one, and it was nearly healed by the 2nd diaper change.

[DCJenn]

I have to say, my husband is delighted with the extra attention that's been given to head injuries, esp after Natasha Richardson's fall. He gets so frustrated with the concussion-is-a-part-of-sports mentality and the 'oh, it's just a bump on the head." Sure, 99% of the time they're just fine. But... it doesn't hurt to be more conservative. I'm still convinced he went in to child neurology because he beaned his cousin in the head w/ a baseball bat. Guilt.

Jenn

PS- his next mission is to have backyard trampolines outlawed. He's seen too many potentially catastrophic injuries from those, too.