“During the first two years of life, babies are in a quick development stage: they learn to move, crawl, to stop and explore the world that surrounds them. This natural curiosity, added to their lack of complete control over balance, makes them especially vulnerable to falls,” explains the pediatrician Carlos Fernando Martínez.
According to information from the World Health Organization (WHO), falls are the main cause of unintentional lesions in children under 5 years. In babies under 1 year, most falls occur from beds, changers, armchairs or arms of an adult.
Although many of these lesions are not serious, a low percentage can lead to cranial fractures or trauma that require specialized medical attention, Martínez explains.
Factors such as height, surface and part of the body that is holful can make the difference between minor injuries and important injuries. For example, head blows, fractures or internal injuries.
Tips for preventing accidents
According to the specialist, following the following indications helps considerably reduce this type of incidents:
- Never leave the baby alone on high surfaces, such as beds, changers or armchairs, even if it is “a second.”
- Use safety barriers on stairs and protect corners with padded protectors.
- Place mattresses or thick carpets in the game areas.
- Make sure the baby’s shoes or socks do not slip, although the best recommendation is that young children are barefoot at home.
- When the baby is in a carriage or high chair to eat you have to secure it well with the belt.
What to do in case of the fall of a baby?
Keeping calm is the first step to follow, recommends Martínez. It is important to ensure that the baby is breathing and is aware.
Second, it is necessary to observe how it behaves: if you cry immediately, move its limbs and act as always, it is probably not serious, although we will have to monitor it, Andrea Quintana says, pediatrician.
Then you should check if there are signs with a strong blow, such as bumps, bruises, bleeding, vomiting, excessive sleep or irritability.
It is important to mention that you should not shake the baby to “wake it up” if you seem asleep. Nor should they give it medications without medical indication, or ignore changes in their behavior, even if there are no external injuries, says the specialist.
When this type of accident occurs, Martínez explains, “it is normal to feel bad or guilty, but it is also an opportunity to improve home security.” The expert recommends an observation of 24 to 48 hours to ensure that everything is fine. However, if something does not seem normal, it is necessary to seek medical help.
According to Martínez, we must go to emergencies if the baby:
- Lose knowledge, even for a few seconds.
- Vomits more than once after the fall.
- It has seizures.
- He cries without comfort or shows very sleepy or irritable.
- It has nose bleeding, ears or mouth.
- It has a visible deformity somewhere in the body.
“Remember that most falls in babies under 2 are not serious, but it is always better to prevent and act calmly,” concludes the specialist.