Can a baby sleep after he falls?

A baby or a small child falling and hitting its head is always synonymous of concern and many doubts. What measures should be taken at this time? Do we need to take him to the doctor urgently? Can you let him sleep?

There are many myths and truths about this subject, especially when it happens to babies under two years old, many of which have been passed down from parents to their children. The one that is most often mentioned is not to allow the baby sleep for up to 30 minutes or longer after the fall.

The truth is that the more stressful the reaction of parents and adults who are close by, the worse it will be for the baby to pass through this moment and the harder to examine if the fall was really severe or if only an icepack solves the problem.

Of course, hitting one’s head is never a good thing. It is always valid to observe the baby in case of a traumatic brain injury (TBI), the technical name given by doctors when the fall results in hitting the head, for a period of 24 hours.

However, there are some cases where a medical evaluation is extremely important, including a CT SCAN to make sure everything is fine. This examination, however, can bring harm to the baby due to radiation, so it is only recommended in more severe cases.

However, before you despair and rush to the hospital, know in what situations this is really necessary and what to do in other cases.

When it is necessary to seek a medical evaluation

First of all, try to stay calm. It seems difficult to do this when it comes to a head trauma or a more serious fall that happens to your baby, but it is important to make the right decisions.

There are some cases where one should seek an urgent medical evaluation, among which are:

– when the baby or child falls and has loss of consciousness for more than one minute;

– babies under three months of age;

– children under two years of age, who have fallen from more than one meter in height;

– children older than two years, falling from heights more than 1.5 meters

– vomiting more than five times over the period of one hour;

– severe headache, which prevents the baby from returning to normal activities;

– the baby sleeps and does not wake up after stimulated;

– bleeding in the ears and nose;

– hematoma in the region below the eyes and behind the ear

 

Afinal, posso deixar meu bebê dormir depois que cai?

Depois que o bebê cai e bate a cabeça, é normal ele ficar assustado, chorar muito e se estressar. Da mesma forma, que os adultos precisam descansar quando passam por uma situação mais estressante, para o bebê, essa é a ocasião que exige fazer uma pausa.

É como uma forma de defesa, o organismo responde deixando o bebê com sono. Por isso, não há problema deixá-lo dormir depois, é até melhor para ele se acalmar e você olhar com atenção.

Com exceção dos casos citados acima, a sonolência não irá trazer qualquer interferência ao desenvolvimento do bebê. O mesmo deve acontecer se houver o aparecimento do conhecido “galo”, o que é muito normal. A compressa de gelo ajuda a impedir que esse hematoma aumente.

After all, can I let my baby sleep after he falls?

After the baby falls and hits his head, it’s normal for him to get scared, cry a lot and get stressed out. Similarly, when adults need to rest after undergoing a stressful situation, for the baby, this is the occasion that requires taking a break.

It’s a form of defense; the body responds by leaving the baby sleepy. So, it’s okay to let him sleep afterwards. It’s even better for him to calm down, allowing you to examine more closely.

With the exception of the cases mentioned above, drowsiness will not bring any interference to the development of the baby. The same should happen if there is the appearance of the well-known “bump”, which is very normal. An ice pack helps prevent this hematoma from growing.

 

How to avoid falls

Falling is part of the baby’s learning and development. Being in constant fear of his playing to avoid falls, brings more consequences than the fall. Whenever you can, play with your baby.

To protect your baby, always try to keep him under adult supervision. When you need to go away, of course for a short period of time, place the baby somewhere protected, on the floor and surrounded by pillows, especially babies who still can’t keep their head up.

Never leave your baby alone on top of sofas, beds or chairs, and when he starts standing, be extra careful with the cradle rails. Place protective gratings on stairs and windows.

By taking every precaution, your baby will grow up well and very happy. If a fall happens, react with all possible love. It will make all the difference.