Recognizing head injuries...

[mom2many]

<t>Today while I was a little bored, I went surfing the internet. I didn’t have any of the kids home, and without constant chaos going on around me, I get very easily bored and feel the need to fill my time doing something. I wasn’t looking for anything in particular, just following links here and there. Anything that caught my eye was fair game for me and my mouse. Then I came across helmets for toddlers. At first I thought they were for when toddlers are learning to ride bikes or maybe for when they are sitting behind their parents on a bike.<br/>
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But I was wrong. It is for infants and toddlers who are learning to walk and crawl. On the surface it seems like a good idea, but the more I thought about it, the more ridiculous the idea became to me. I understand that we all want to protect our children; it hurts us when they get hurt. No parent in their right mind enjoys seeing their toddler fall and get hurt; besides, head injuries can be scary.<br/>
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What I kept coming back to was the thought that part of growing up is falling down. <br/>
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As scary as it may be to see our toddlers fall over and hit their heads, the truth is that most bounce back as if nothing has ever happened. It’s usually scarier for us than it is for them. I also believe that many parents are undereducated when it comes to things to look for if their young children do hit their heads. Here are things that parents should know:<br/>
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Take your child to the emergency room if he/she has any of the following symptoms:<br/>
*Any loss of consciousness<br/>
*Any change in behavior, such as becoming lethargic, irritable, or having poor balance<br/>
*Vomiting after the head injury, especially persistent vomiting<br/>
*Seizure after the head injury<br/>
*Other symptoms such as sensitivity to light, stiff neck, or severe headaches<br/>
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Remedies for minor head injuries that do not require a trip to the emergency room:<br/>
* First aid for any areas that may be bleeding<br/>
* Ice or a cold pack for about 15-20 minutes on the affected area<br/>
* Age-appropriate acetaminophen or ibuprofen for any minor aches and pains<br/>
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A part of growing up is learning our limitations. One way young children learn these limitations is by getting hurt. We all know that we can say “no” a thousand and one times, but sometimes they have to learn for themselves that climbing on the kitchen table means that they could fall off. That also means they could get hurt, and I bet next time they’ll be a little more cautious.</t>

 

[IADad]

Somewhere on the spectrum of "protecting like hot-house flowers" to "meh, whatever, you're on your own." is a prodent amount of safety.

It's sort of like those kid leashes. I always crincge when I see a kid of one. Sure, they may be necessary for kids whose abilities to function are somehow hampered, but I think putting joe (or josephine) average kid in one is more dangerous than not. How will they learn to listen to "no," or look both ways? I understand having kids in a group (like a preschool feild trip or M2M's trip to the mall ;-) )hold onto a jump rope or something, but that's active management not passive restraint.

If anyone decides to roll their kid up in bubble wrap, remember to leave a way out for bathroom duty and maybe think about cutting a hole to breathe.

 

[cybele]

The strange thing for me about the helmets is that we baby-proof things to such an insane degree in the first place. For so long all my tables had rubber corners, we had towels around the couch legs, and so on. And I really do consider myself to be slightly more on the "meh youre on your own" side of the scale.

Its as if, protection isnt enough anymore, we need double protection! Tie a cushion on top of the helmet and we can have triple protection!

The one that has me scratching my head is knee pads for crawlers. Unless your little one is crawling around on asphalt, I dont see the need for them. What makes them twice as funny, for me, is that the first time I heard of them I was in Toys R Us and they had a little TV with an ad for them playing, and they were showing this little baby crawling around with his knee pads on the most plush carpet I have ever seen im my life. My kids crawled around on floorboards and survived, so it did strike me as very funny.

 

[IADad]

ha cybele - I've yet to see the knee pads...I bet they can work up a pretty decent static charge, perhaps you should market "grounding cable" for use with them... Might as well try to get rich on people's paranoia...

 

[IADad]

oh, and I have the same scratch my head response to people's extreme approaches to cleanliness...I mean, we keep our house clean, and we take good handwashing and food prep and serving practices pretty serious, but the people who feel the need to douse their kids in hand sanitizer every 5 minutes or treat a dropped binky like hazardous waste are just a little too over-board for me.

 

[mom2many]

Somewhere on the spectrum of "protecting like hot-house flowers" to "meh, whatever, you're on your own." is a prodent amount of safety.

It's sort of like those kid leashes. I always crincge when I see a kid of one. Sure, they may be necessary for kids whose abilities to function are somehow hampered, but I think putting joe (or josephine) average kid in one is more dangerous than not. How will they learn to listen to "no," or look both ways? I understand having kids in a group (like a preschool feild trip or M2M's trip to the mall ;-) )hold onto a jump rope or something, but that's active management not passive restraint.

If anyone decides to roll their kid up in bubble wrap, remember to leave a way out for bathroom duty and maybe think about cutting a hole to breathe.

HAHA I'd look like some kinda dog walker only with children lol


I like the knee pads for people with no carpet, not for protection purposes though.

IADad..I agree, I just pick up the bottle or binky. All 8 have managed to survive.

 

[cybele]

oh, and I have the same scratch my head response to people's extreme approaches to cleanliness...I mean, we keep our house clean, and we take good handwashing and food prep and serving practices pretty serious, but the people who feel the need to douse their kids in hand sanitizer every 5 minutes or treat a dropped binky like hazardous waste are just a little too over-board for me.

Is it strange that I have never felt the need to buy hand sanitiser?

 

[bssage]

Hey lets face it. We have all seen those leashes and thought to ourselfs I wish I could get one for the wife. I will even admit to haveing dreams about putting her on one of those "remote control shocker" deals. Maybe that just me.

My Grandmother in law insisted that we not have end tables and coffee tables. We still do not have a coffee table.

But your right M2M and if my memory is correct that is one of the things that they are saying is a major contributor to head injuries in football. The theory is that when less protection is available you don't run full speed into a lineman (or locker) but with all the padding they get the mistaken feeling of invincibility.

How many time has this happened to you with old school (grandma's/grandpa's) You: "Sweety be carful that is very hot". GP/GM: "They will only touch it once"

I know bad example. But there is a certain wisdom to that.

 

[cybele]

Funny that you say that, because ive heard about so many more serious injuries coming out of American Football than Australian Football, and our guys have no protection on whatsoever, every now and then you'll see one with a mouthguard, but thats it.

Not saying there arent any injuries, there most certianly is, but not to the extent you heard of ones happening over where you guys are.

 

[mom2many]

Bssage Kailyn learned just this weekend exactly what hot meant. She didn't get hurt but she knows to stay away from the stove when I am cooking and is always good about it but that day she just kept pushing the limits. I turned my back for 2 seconds and I hear her say "Ow, hot". She has stayed away since and I am just thankful she didn't get really hurt, but she did learn.

 

[bssage]

Some things teach themselvs

 

[IADad]

Is it strange that I have never felt the need to buy hand sanitiser?

watch out, shoplifting can be risky...;-)

 

[cybele]

Hahaha.

 

[ElliottCarasDad]

Initially we took head "injuries" fairly serious because Elliotts Hearing loss can be aggravated by blows to the head. But by the amount of abuse he put his head through as a toddler we knew it was a lost cause. All kids are different and some kids are just naturally more rough than others. Especially on their skull!

 

[Mom2all]

Head injuries are serious. However, in 17 years of being a 911 operator, I've never had a call for a head injury from a normal fall from a standing position that required an emergency transport. Toddlers fall.. thats what they do.

What we get in the 911 center most and what I was more careful for are these..

Water... kids drown in pools, toilets, buckets... any water.

Strangulation... kids get caught in almost everything. (Put the cords in knots on venetian blinds)

Choking... cut things in slices instead of round pieces. ( hot dogs are the worst) And they'll eat anything for fun.

Overdose/posioning... lock it up. They'll eat that too.. even if it taste bad. (they'll drink cleaners too)

Falling.. off of bunk beds or bikes.. and the big one.. trampolines.

high fevers.. they cause seizures and extreme cases brain damage. Over 102 degrees, get busy bringing it down. ( If your kid does have a seizure, know that most cases are never life threatening.. and never NEVER put anything in their mouth or hold them down. They won't swallow they're tongue).

Car accidents... buckle them up..CORRECTLY and never make an exception.

Being hit by a car... don't let your 5 year old ride his bike on the road or check the mail or anything near the highway.

Molestation.. keep them safe and teach them to run or tell someone if they are uncomfortable with anyone. Family members or someone you know is the most likely abuser. NEVER let that slip your mind. And really listen when they talk to you about it.

Have working smoke detectors, a fire plan, and practice fire drills. Without really thinking about it, I can remember 6 children in our county that burned to death in the last several years.

Teach them their names, your names, your phone number, address and how to call 911. You'd be surprised at how many 6 years old think their parents names are mommy and daddy.. and don't have a phone number.


I think that concludes my 911 lecture for today.

 

[cybele]

Teach them their names, your names, your phone number, address and how to call 911. You'd be surprised at how many 6 years old think their parents names are mommy and daddy.. and don't have a phone number.

This amazes me. Last year, Lux had a friend over and we wanted to go down to one of the other townships because they were having a huge market, but I wanted to call her friend's mother first, of course. I couldnt for the life of me remember her name, so I said, "Hey Emily, whats Mum's name?" "Mum" (said in a bit of a "duhhhhhh" tone) "No, her first name" "Mum"

It takes you by surprise when its coming out of a 9yr old.



Sasha, on the other hand, knows too much, ive had his friends parent's call me by my first and middle name, as if they were double barreled. He dosent know his own middle name, yet he knows mine.

 

[Mom2all]

Sasha, on the other hand, knows too much, ive had his friends parent's call me by my first and middle name, as if they were double barreled. He dosent know his own middle name, yet he knows mine.

Yep.. too many kids don't know who are or where they are. People think if you call 911 it automatically tells them your location. Land lines normally do, cell phones don't always work, ( when they do, its a general location) and some county's don't have the ability to locate you at all. Scary!

 

[IADad]

great advice and reminders M2all!

Thanks!

 

[Mom2all]

Your most welcome. It would be my greatest wish to never have to hear one more call like these... they are so easily prevented.

 

[csdax]

lol. I'm definitely in the "they'll survive" camp. My youngest daughter had major surgery on her head at 7 months old (basically having half her skull taken out, re-shaped, and put back like a jigsaw puzzle), but the surgeons told us not to worry about doing anything special to protect her head. I cringed a few times when she fell, but she was fine. We had a couple of trips to ER with the oldest one, but it's all part of learning to walk and climb. As I frequently tell the first-time moms I see worrying about their kids getting hurt, "If they don't get bumps and bruises when they're learning to walk, they're just not trying hard enough!"

It's sort of like those kid leashes. I always crincge when I see a kid of one. Sure, they may be necessary for kids whose abilities to function are somehow hampered, but I think putting joe (or josephine) average kid in one is more dangerous than not. How will they learn to listen to "no," or look both ways? I understand having kids in a group (like a preschool feild trip or M2M's trip to the mall ;-) )hold onto a jump rope or something, but that's active management not passive restraint.

I disagree with this. Yes, kids need to learn to listen to "no", but not at the side of a busy road. It's just too much of a risk. All toddlers go through a stage of thinking it's funny to run away from you, and physically restraining them (using a stroller, cart, leash, carrying them, holding hands etc.) is the only safe option during this stage. If a leash keeps them safe during this 'fun' period, so be it. Parenting is stressful enough without feeling like people are judging you whenever you're out in public!

I think that concludes my 911 lecture for today.

lol. Good for you.