Bumps and bruises
The more mobile your baby becomes, the more little accidents you can expect, writes Tori Hoffmann
EVEN IF YOUR home is completely babyproof and you watch your little one’s every move, he is going to fall over and bump himself when he starts walking. It might happen once a day, or it might happen more often. And while it’s normal for him to fall over you are going to worry and wonder… why is it happening so often? What’s normal? What’s not? And when should you see a doctor?
According to Dr Deirdre O’donnell, a paediatric trauma fellow at the Red Cross Children’s hospital in Cape Town, in a baby’s second year (regardless of whether they walked at 10 months or 17 months) he’s still developing, which means he wobbles a lot. As his muscles get stronger and his coordination improves, so does his steadiness.
In addition to this, she explains that toddlers’ heads are also about a quarter of the size of their body (an adult’s is an eighth), which makes them top-heavy so it’s hard for them to balance.
What’s more, your toddler’s “clumsiness” is not only about his physical development. “A lot of accidents are the result of perception.”
“Toddlers aren’t very good at judging distance, and basic things like steps are confusing for them. Moving from different surfaces – for example, from carpets to tiles – is tricky as they don’t understand the transition, and might take a bit of a tumble as a result,” explains Dr O’donnell.
“When this happens your baby will cry right away for a few minutes. If they settle quickly and continue to play happily afterwards, then you have nothing to worry about.”
A massive bump on the head (often called an “egg”) is also completely normal with a minor incident and will usually flatten after a few hours.
To help bring the swelling down, place something cold on it (like an ice cube) wrapped in a tea towel. Never place ice directly onto a bump or bruise as it could cause a localised burn.
Arnica geld works well on bruises, and if it’s very sore, infant paracetamol can help with the pain too. YB