Your Baby & Toddler

3 SIGNS YOU SHOULD WORRY

HOW CAN YOU TELL IF THE BUMP IS A LITTLE MORE SERIOUS?

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1. IF THE BUMP ON HIS HEAD GETS BIGGER OVER HOURS OR DAYS OR YOUR TOT DEVELOPS A TEMPERATUR­E “This suggests an underlying skull fracture and there is nothing specific in terms of first aid that you can do. The best thing to do in this instance is to get your toddler to a doctor immediatel­y,” said Dr O’donnell. She recommends going to a medical facility with CAT scan facilities. 2. IF HE FALLS OVER, DOESN’T CRY AND LOSES CONSCIOUSN­ESS AND/OR VOMITS MORE THAN THREE TIMES AFTER THE INJURY “Vomiting after a head injury is very common, but persistent vomiting, regardless of whether the child lost consciousn­ess or not, is considered an indicator for a CAT scan as it can be a sign of increased pressure on the brain inside the skull from bleeding or brain swelling,” she says. “Don’t force your child to eat or give them anything to stop vomiting, just keep giving them fluids – small amounts, and frequently. This can include any sort of ‘wet’ foods, such as yoghurt, jelly, ice-pops, or fruit.” 3. IF YOU NOTICE ANY DEFORMITIE­S ON HIS LIMBS OR TENDER SWELLING ON HIS WRISTS Also keep an eye out for swelling above his elbow or on his shoulder line (collar bone). “If you see any swelling or deformity on your child that you are unsure about, you should have it assessed by a doctor. These can be anything from simple bruises to fractured bones,” the doctor advises.

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