# Help! 1 year old bumped his head, I'm worried



## bumbold (Jun 13, 2007)

Tonight my 1 year old dived head first into his play kitchen. There is a 1/4 inch edge protruding from the play kitchen that he hit pretty hard. He very quickly got a big black and blue 1/4 inch line down the front of his head that also has a big read spot that is swollen around it.

I know the only way to be really safe is to go to the ER but I don't think it was that bad. I am just a little worried. He only cried a little bit longer than he normal little tumbles of a new toddler.

Any advice is welcome.
Thanks Laura


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## Brisen (Apr 5, 2004)

It sounds to me like it isn't anything to really worry about. Foreheads tend to swell up impressively with goose eggs when they get bumped.

My 1 year old figured out how to climb up on our dining room table yesterday, which he did while holding his brother's Cub car. Not long after getting up there, he fell off, and managed to fall on the Cub car with his forehead and cheek. He has a big scrape from the top of his forehead, down over his eye, to the bottom of his cheek, and it was swollen and purple up around the top of the scrape right away. He cried, but settled down easily and it doesn't seem to have bothered him since. But it looks awful.


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## jenjenl18 (Jul 6, 2007)

scalp boo boos can get big an ugly looking quick because the scalp is so highly vascularized. So they can look more scary than they actually are. Its a judgement call...go wait in the ER and get a possibly useless scan and maybe pick up a bug while your there or wait and see. Observe his behavior closely and keep an eye on the swelling. If hes playing contently, does he cry/cringe when you touch it? When you palpate it does it feel extremely fluid filled or like the skull is cracked? If so then those may lean me more towards go now. I know my son has a thick skull like daddy and can take some mean looking spills an bumps to the noggin and trust me he's had A LOT. If he seems ok then just keep an eye on him.


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## jenjenl18 (Jul 6, 2007)

oh yeah...if its his first big boo-boo, snap a picture so when he's older you can remind him how much of a rascal he was...


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## redsfree (Apr 18, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *jenjenl18* 
oh yeah...if its his first big boo-boo, snap a picture so when he's older you can remind him how much of a rascal he was...











My DD has had a few nasty head bumps, so I understand the worry. I found this article and thought it might be helpful to you...
http://www.kidsgrowth.com/resources/...il.cfm?id=1272

Hope your little guy feels better soon!


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## bumbold (Jun 13, 2007)

He seems fine today. The swelling even went down a bit. Of course he fell over and hit his head again today. Didn't look so bad this time though. He looks a little beat up.

Thanks for the link to the website that will come in handy.

We are just giving him some arnica and lots of nursing today.
Thanks again


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