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Baby fall warning after six-month-old suffers fractured skull

By Georgia Weir|

Babies develop quickly and just because they could not do something yesterday, it does not mean they won't be able to do it today. That is a warning one mum wants to give other parents after her baby girl suffered a fracture skull in an accident she didn't see coming.

Tiny Hearts Education has shared the family's story as an urgent PSA to parents using changing tables.

"I was changing my six-month-old daughter's nappy on a change table at my in-law's where the wipes were positioned behind me," the mother said speaking to Tiny Hearts Education.

"She hadn't started rolling without assistance or much speed yet but as I turned around to grab a wipe she rolled off the table and onto the marble floor landing on her side."

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The six-month-old baby girl ended up in the hospital after falling from a changing table. (Supplied)

The mother followed Tiny Hearts Education's advice of 'children need medical review after any fall more than double their height' and took her baby straight to the emergency department.

In the car on the short ride to the hospital, the mother said, "she was closing her eyes and falling asleep, I kept her awake until we reached the ED."

The bub was kept for monitoring for two hours but the mother said that the junior doctor had not felt the site of impact on her daughter's head.

The 6-month-old baby girl was monitored in the ER for 2 hours. (Supplied)

After two hours of monitoring, the mother told Tiny Hearts "I was noticing a cephalohaematoma" which is the medical term for the accumulation of blood between the scalp and the skull of a baby. Whilst this is more common in newborns after birth, it can also occur after a baby has fallen.

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Recognising this, the mother alerted a nurse who sought advice from a senior doctor. The senior doctor sent the baby for a scan where they found a 5cm fracture but thankfully there was no bleeding or obvious brain damage.

Tiny Hearts Education urged parents, "If your child has fallen from a height that is double their height, they need immediate medical attention. ? ?Even if they look completely fine. Even if they looked like they didn't land that hard. Even if it was an accident."

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The scan found that the bub had a 5cm fracture to her skull. (Supplied)

Reminders for parents:?

  • Signs and symptoms after a fall don't always show up straight away?
  • Falling from a height that is double a child's height puts them at risk of a moderate to severe head injury?
  • Moderate to severe head injuries = call 000 for an ambulance?

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