Toddler tumbles: When to be concerned

Toddlers are unstable on their little feet and will take a few tumbles and falls before they are walking with confidence. While falls can be scary, it’s important to know when a fall requires a trip to the doctor.

According to the World Health Organisation, half of all children’s visits to hospital emergency rooms are due to falling. Although most falls only result in a few scrapes or bruises, 130 children die from falls every day. Severe falls can be avoided by making sure your home is fitted with window guards, and that you have specifically designed children’s products and playground equipment that meet safety standards.

Stay calm

Paediatrician, Dewald Buitendag, says toddlers’ bodies are designed to handle certain blows. Cerebrospinal fluid surrounds a child’s brain, and buffers and protects it when he accidentally bumps his head. He adds that they also tend not to tense up like adults do when they fall, and this limits sprains and fractures.
It’s also very important that when your child hurts himself, be it by tripping, falling off an object, or rolling off the bed, that you remain calm. You’ll be surprised at just how resilient he is.

Falls you should take seriously

Despite the common injuries your toddler will suffer, there may come a time when you need to seek medical advice. Falls from a countertop, changing table, high chair, jumping castle, or a jungle gym need to be carefully assessed, as well as falls down stairs, or on hard surfaces where your toddler’s head takes most of the impact, says Dr Buitendag.

4 Things to do after your toddler falls

1. Once your toddler has been injured, check her body for cuts, swelling or large bumps.
2. Apply pressure with dry gauze to cuts that won’t stop bleeding, and take him to the doctor or casualty unit for further assessment. If he’s reluctant to move an arm or leg, he may have sustained a sprain or fracture.
3. Ice packs can also be applied to swellings and bumps to prevent them from getting bigger.
4. A child should be taken to casualty immediately if he has lost consciousness, if his pupils differ in size, if he’s confused, drowsy, or difficult to wake, if he has weakness in his arms or legs, is vomiting, or has had a convulsion.

Remember, prevention is better than cure

Here are a few ways you can keep your toddler safe indoors:

• Put safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs in your home.
• Cover sharp corners with soft material.
• Always strap your child into a car seat.
• Never leave your toddler alone on a bed or couch.
• Install shatterproof glass in sliding glass doors and floor-level windows.
• Remove loose rugs and clutter.
• Clean up spills immediately.

Here are a few ways you can keep your toddler safe outdoors:

• Choose parks and play areas that have soft ground and grass.
• Don’t let your toddler play on a trampoline with no safety net.
• Be very alert at jungle gyms and jumping castles.
• Always keep an eye on your toddler when he plays with other children.
• Ensure that pools and ponds are covered or fenced off.

Good to know: Although it can be exhausting, apart from the advice and prevention measures given, you will have to resign yourself to keeping a watchful eye on your toddler most of the time. Invariably, injuries happen when nobody has been watching.