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What Are The Chances Of Brain Injury From A Fall?
Question: Hello I had asked you a question earlier about my son. He is doing really well after first question.
Recently he turned 16 month old. He was sleeping in the the bed with my husband on vacation in California and fell off the bed which was 2 ft and 4 inches off the ground by accident onto carpeted floor in the hotel room. Don't know how he fell ( forward or backward) since it was dark. He cried for 1 minute and I breastfed him and he stopped. He had no bumps or bruises or nausea or vomiting fro 24-48 hrs. He acted normally right afterwards walking etc .We took him the peds emergency immediately and they said since he was acting fine and that he is fine and they did not see anything on physical exam. Could he have possible brain injury from such a fall? At what height would be concerning?
He is acting exactly the same as before, but I feel like he is more irritable and more emotional when he has a temper tantrum ( I don't know if this is related to the time change from coming back to East Coast from California). Can he have long term effects with concentration and Iower IQ from this fall? He usually sleep in the bed on the floor at home but I am just worried if anything happened.
Recently he turned 16 month old. He was sleeping in the the bed with my husband on vacation in California and fell off the bed which was 2 ft and 4 inches off the ground by accident onto carpeted floor in the hotel room. Don't know how he fell ( forward or backward) since it was dark. He cried for 1 minute and I breastfed him and he stopped. He had no bumps or bruises or nausea or vomiting fro 24-48 hrs. He acted normally right afterwards walking etc .We took him the peds emergency immediately and they said since he was acting fine and that he is fine and they did not see anything on physical exam. Could he have possible brain injury from such a fall? At what height would be concerning?
He is acting exactly the same as before, but I feel like he is more irritable and more emotional when he has a temper tantrum ( I don't know if this is related to the time change from coming back to East Coast from California). Can he have long term effects with concentration and Iower IQ from this fall? He usually sleep in the bed on the floor at home but I am just worried if anything happened.
Brief Answer:
We do not expect any serious effect with the fall.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thank you for getting back with another query.
I have noted the details, and I do not think this fall would have any impact on your child. This height is too less and the floor was carpeted, which would limit any impact of the fall.
In addition to the height, the hardness of floor, the speed of fall, and the place of head where it hit, are all important in determining the impact of the fall.
Generally, more than five feet can have major impact with head injuries in a child.
Also, since he is well now, we do not expect any long term implications with this fall.
I hope it helps.
Best wishes,
Dr XXXXXXX Kumar MD DM (Neurology) XXXXXXX Consultant Neurologist
We do not expect any serious effect with the fall.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thank you for getting back with another query.
I have noted the details, and I do not think this fall would have any impact on your child. This height is too less and the floor was carpeted, which would limit any impact of the fall.
In addition to the height, the hardness of floor, the speed of fall, and the place of head where it hit, are all important in determining the impact of the fall.
Generally, more than five feet can have major impact with head injuries in a child.
Also, since he is well now, we do not expect any long term implications with this fall.
I hope it helps.
Best wishes,
Dr XXXXXXX Kumar MD DM (Neurology) XXXXXXX Consultant Neurologist
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
How do you know if he did not have linear fracture? What are the symptoms of this fracture? Does it cause bruising in the brain? Can the fall have caused bruising in the brain?
Brief Answer:
Symptoms give a clue.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thank you for getting back with more information.
Clinical symptoms do give a clue towards the final diagnosis.
In cases of a linear fracture, there would be severe pain at the site of fracture, along with swelling and tenderness to touch/combing hair, etc.
If we suspect fracture, a CT scan (preferably) or X-ray of skull would help.
If the fracture gets depressed (broken piece of skull bone gone deeper), then, there is a possibility of injury to the underlying brain.
Best wishes,
Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM (Neurology)
Symptoms give a clue.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thank you for getting back with more information.
Clinical symptoms do give a clue towards the final diagnosis.
In cases of a linear fracture, there would be severe pain at the site of fracture, along with swelling and tenderness to touch/combing hair, etc.
If we suspect fracture, a CT scan (preferably) or X-ray of skull would help.
If the fracture gets depressed (broken piece of skull bone gone deeper), then, there is a possibility of injury to the underlying brain.
Best wishes,
Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM (Neurology)
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
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