He fractured his skull...

[AimeeM]

My Marco (7 months old) fractured his skull. We spent the last couple days in the hospital; we came home yesterday, late afternoon. The other morning, around 6 am, it appears he launched himself head first from our high king size bed, onto the hardwood floor (and I suspect the dresser also played a hand in it). I didn't worry until I noticed a large knot on his head that began to grow until the entire back side of head was swollen; at that point I insisted his pedi see him, despite the first call I made where they said it wasn't necessary so long as he wasn't sleepy or vomiting. When he was seen, the doctor sent him for x-rays, which showed the fracture. We were then sent to the ER for a CT scan; from there we were admitted. From THERE, I listened as they attempted to make light of their requests for full body scans... to check for more broken bones. I knew what they were getting at and it almost made ME vomit; the request for a full body scan, the questions about brittle bones in the family. I know they needed to cover their bases, I sincerely do, but it was hard to handle and hear. Of course the scans came back clean. We talked to the neurosurgeon heading his case and he said our son's head resembles some shopping cart falls he's seen. Apparently it's a nice sized fracture (and he believes it may have happened weeks ago when he only lightly rolled off the same bed) and that *this* fall only made it present finally.

 

This little one terrifies me. My first was an only child for 8 years - an only child on carpeted floors. My second had delayed milestones due to his lung disorder - he never crawled and didn't walk until age 2, after his lung and vascular surgery to correct his condition. THIS kid though? My number 3. He's our bruiser. Holy carp - he's across the house in 2 seconds flat, if I so much as turn my back. He's climbing on entertainment centers and bookcases. He sticks everything in his mouth. He rolls over dogs, rocks back and forth on his knees before seemingly launching across slick hardwood floors; makes mazes out of our dining room table legs and hides if I go to the restroom.

 

I feel like a paranoid freak now. I made my husband go out and buy and exersaucer play gym to confine Acrobat (aka Marco, the Medical Menace), despite the neuro's insistence that he can safely explore. I can't shake this terrified feeling from my stomach. His SKULL is broken. He has blood pooled in his head. I keep kicking myself. I pushed myself too far, dozed in the bed while nursing him, like I so often do at his 5 am feeding - this time he apparently didn't doze back with me, as he always has before (or he woke after he dozed, rather).

 

I'm not sure what this is. A vent... asking for hugs... something.

*sigh*

[Jennifer in MI]

OMG!!! Your poor, poor Marco! And, his poor, poor mom!!!!! I'm SO sorry you both went through that. It sounds horrific.

 

FWIW - my climber/daredevil is my youngest (and only girl). She's now a gymnast (and very good!). Just a thought for the future! (She had a concussion when she was 18 months.)

[Twigs]

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

[Ewe Mama]

:grouphug:

[Guest]

Oh, how terribly frightening! I'm sorry, mama. :grouphug:

[jrn]

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

[Tammyla]

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: You poor thing, I'm glad the little one is home.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

:grouphug:

 

That is frightening.

 

:grouphug:

[k2bdeutmeyer]

wow!! so scary!

[ccolopy]

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

[Harriet Vane]

:grouphug:

[pdalley]

:grouphug: :grouphug:

[Jean in Newcastle]

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

[Starr]

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

[speedmom4]

So scary!

 

:grouphug:

Elise in NC

[Caitilin]

Oh, poor fellow, and poor mama! :grouphug:

[Orthodox6]

My jaw dropped, reading your post. Thanks be that he is going to be ok!!! :grouphug:

[JenC3]

Aimee, so sorry! Do you need anything? Ugh! I read the thread line and thought abouy when he tipped over at B&N. Bless his heart. I have a portable type bed rail if you want it. It was my life saver once they got mobile.

[Annie]

Oh, that poor baby! I have a bruiser, too. The child can climb anything. I hope he's feeling better!

 

 

PS - Good luck confining him. :)

[elegantlion]

:grouphug: :grouphug:

[Grover]

:grouphug: oh my goodness, what a fright!

 

If it makes you feel any better I did the same thing with my DD at a similar age - dozed off sitting up in bed feeding her. I woke as she launched herself and caught her by one ankle on the way down :scared:

 

I'm glad he's not more badly hurt, and I wish you luck keeping him safe until he's big enough to think twice.

[Flowing Brook]

Wow I am so sorry you are going through this. :grouphug: :grouphug:

[MommaOfalotta]

Poor little guy!! :( And poor mom!

 

I think you are being too hard on yourself! How concerned you are for his safety shows how much you care about this little one. No parent is perfect.. and no parent can watch a child 24/7. Do not beat yourself up! Give him lots of lovin and squeeze him tight. You are doing just fine momma! He just seems like quite the daredevil which Im sorry to say, probably means you will be on your toes for a long time! :)

 

:grouphug:

[Erica in OR]

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

 

I know what you mean. After three mellow, laid-back kids, with our 13 month old twins, I've given one the label "Evel Knievel of babies". That girl can climb! And she just keeps ramping it up. None of our kids have had any broken bones ever, but we're guessing this one would be the one most likely to change that.

 

Glad to hear he's okay.

 

Erica in OR

[AimeeM]

Aimee, so sorry! Do you need anything? Ugh! I read the thread line and thought abouy when he tipped over at B&N. Bless his heart. I have a portable type bed rail if you want it. It was my life saver once they got mobile.

You know what the problem is? He can CLIMB! This time he launched at the foot of the bed; last time it was over a barricade off the right side of the bed. Unless I rail in the entire bed, I'm not sure what to do! Last night I banked about 2 hours sleep walking around to wake myself up enough to stay awake during each feeding, so I could put him back in his crib. It's the only way I can ensure he doesn't do this again, unfortunately. He's going through a long growth spurt of some kind - waking every hour or so to nurse.

He tips over all the time. I know you saw him at his finest at B&N, lol. He gets excited and turns his head quicker than his body can keep up. In the hospital playroom he climbed the couch. I feel so... simple when I admit this - but the kid is several steps ahead of me at all times.

[AimeeM]

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

 

I know what you mean. After three mellow, laid-back kids, with our 13 month old twins, I've given one the label "Evel Knievel of babies". That girl can climb! And she just keeps ramping it up. None of our kids have had any broken bones ever, but we're guessing this one would be the one most likely to change that.

 

Glad to hear he's okay.

 

Erica in OR

This was my first broken bone with three children. And it had to be an infant. The questions... the inferences. Removing myself, I can see the concern, but to be in the thick of the questions... to be the subject of the inferences... was terrifying. To feel that rotten tomato consistency that is the right side of his head - and to know it was caused because *I* dozed, makes me feel sick. He cried so hard but then stopped as soon as I offered a nursing session, so I thought all was well.

[In the Rain]

:ohmy: I'm so glad he is okay! It sounds terrifying. :grouphug:

[Impish]

Wolf fell asleep w/Boo beside him, and yup, Boo went off the bed. :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

[Mnemosyne]

Could you maybe push one side of the bed against the wall? Or have a mattress on the ground?

 

Hope the kiddo is doing fine, and you as well!! He sounds like a handful!

[applethyme]

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

My ds fell out of his stroller and landed on his head right before Christmas. He spent 3 days in the hospital with a subdural hemotoma. He is now doing fine and has learned nothing from the experience.

[ktgrok]

Put the bed on the floor for a while. I had to do thesame thing.

[ktgrok]

If you wont put the bed on the ground get an air mattress for you both, on the ground.you need sleep.

 

You know what the problem is? He can CLIMB! This time he launched at the foot of the bed; last time it was over a barricade off the right side of the bed. Unless I rail in the entire bed, I'm not sure what to do! Last night I banked about 2 hours sleep walking around to wake myself up enough to stay awake during each feeding, so I could put him back in his crib. It's the only way I can ensure he doesn't do this again, unfortunately. He's going through a long growth spurt of some kind - waking every hour or so to nurse.

He tips over all the time. I know you saw him at his finest at B&N, lol. He gets excited and turns his head quicker than his body can keep up. In the hospital playroom he climbed the couch. I feel so... simple when I admit this - but the kid is several steps ahead of me at all times.

 

[AimeeM]

Put the bed on the floor for a while. I had to do thesame thing.

 

We can't put the bed on the ground - it's one of those therapeutic mattresses that have devices in them to harden or soften on each side to fit the needs of right side and left side (I don't know the specifics, lol).

 

An air mattress (as you suggested below) is a great idea though and probably a winner. Thanks!

[AimeeM]

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

My ds fell out of his stroller and landed on his head right before Christmas. He spent 3 days in the hospital with a subdural hemotoma. He is now doing fine and has learned nothing from the experience.

 

OMG. Is he okay?

[Ali in OR]

I know you can't make the world completely safe (and sounds like he'll be the type to find danger anywhere), but I think I would be putting the mattress on the floor for awhile. You need your sleep--you're going to get pretty tired keeping up with him! Glad he's doing well.

[AimeeM]

I know you can't make the world completely safe (and sounds like he'll be the type to find danger anywhere), but I think I would be putting the mattress on the floor for awhile. You need your sleep--you're going to get pretty tired keeping up with him! Glad he's doing well.

I was thinking a minute ago with another poster mentioned it. While I can't put our mattress on the floor (the type of mattress it is), I could put my preschooler in bed with my husband and put the air mattress in my older son's room for me and Marco - for the time being (although, to be frank, I do not want to start a co-sleeping habit, so I'm not sure, lol).

[Carrie12345]

:grouphug:

So scary.

 

My 2yo has been the biggest daredevil of the 5 since birth, and I live in constant fear of the first broken bone. The other day, he jumped off a chair and fell on his face (on the carpet). He was fine, but you could tell he was completely shocked to have not nailed the landing. I'm hoping that's a sign that he's learning he's not invincible!

[Desert Rat]

^{:grouphug: :grouphug: Oh my goodness! How scary for you all!}

[Laurie4b]

Incredibly scary--both the fall itself and the implications from doctor's wondering how the skull was broken. So sorry you are going through this. Hope your ds is okay and heals quickly!

[AimeeM]

Incredibly scary--both the fall itself and the implications from doctor's wondering how the skull was broken. So sorry you are going through this. Hope your ds is okay and heals quickly!

Well, the peds team seemed to question the break - the neurosurgeon appeared to have seen similar before from shopping cart falls and seemed more reassuring than accusatory; he was the one that mentioned he's seen this before with shopping cart falls - the parents do not notice anything for days or weeks while the swelling builds, but the only witnessed, large fall took place days or weeks previous, so it was a bit of a shock to the parent that the child had little to no presentation of a problem but sudden swelling.

[sewingmama]

Ouch :crying: - poor little guy.

 

My 3yo is like that. In the past 6 months he broke his collar bone falling off a bar stool (our floor is tiled) and he broke his nose falling onto something when he fell off the bed he was jumping on.

 

I took him to the doctor straight away for the collar bone because he wasn't using his arm but the doctor sent us home saying it was just bruised. A week later we took him back and they xrayed him and sure enough. So even a doctor can miss those breaks. I didn't even take my DS to the doctor at first when he broke his nose. He cried a lot but then seemed ok about it. I took him to the doctor for something else in the next few days and mentioned it to the doctor who checked it and said he could feel the bone moving around :huh: so I'm not about to win any mum of the year awards either.

 

When my DD was a toddler she gave herself two serious concussions. Each time the doctors grilled us like crazy. They weren't as evasive about it as your doctors though - they just came right out and said it "Was this an accident or did you do it to her on purpose?" :ohmy:

 

I didn't really get asked anything with my 3yo but I guess that's because broken bones from a climbing 3yo are more common then a fractured skull on a crawling baby KWIM.

 

You're not a bad mum and you're only human - accidents happen and things are missed - even my doctor missed my kids broken bone.

 

:grouphug: All my kids slept on mattresses on the floor for a long time - you do what you gotta do to keep them safe.

[Halftime Hope]

Aimee, are you sure you can't just take the whole matress and maybe the box springs off the bed frame to lower the whole thing?

 

Adn, playing devil's advocate, how long before he climbs out of his crib?

 

Bolt anything climbable to the wall--dressers, bookcases, etc.

 

Kids have zero sense of danger to themselves. I don't know how one of mine is still alive, but he was too young to be trained and was doing ridiculous things. Dd had a touch of that sensory seeking, too, but she was content swinging. Do you think that would help in his case? We bolted a johnny-jump style bucket swing to the middle of our living room ceiling into a joist so she wouldn't bang into the door frames or anything else that was dangerous. For awhile we kept the spring in it so she could boink up and down, but we kept it high enough that she couldn't really jostle her brains too roughly. When she outgrew that, we had a plastic bench swing (Little Tykes) that she'd spin and spin and spin on, on her tummy, a bit like a turtle.

 

Aimee, may you have extra angels on duty watching out for you both. And I'm so sorry for you both. It's not your fault; you know that.

[AimeeM]

I'm sure I can't take *our* mattress off - it's like a select comfort (before there was such the brand, lol) and has machinery in it (and attached to it). With that said, there is nothing keeping me from putting an air mattress in my older son's bedroom and bunking down in there with Marco for the forseeable future :p

I'm going to get hooks to attach our large furniture (bookcases, dressers, etc) to the walls as you suggest.

 

We had a johnny jump up with our older son. Marco was a surprise and we had rid ourselves of it long before he was born (it was old anyway). I thought they discontinued them? If they still sell them, I would definitely buy one.

Aimee, are you sure you can't just take the whole matress and maybe the box springs off the bed frame to lower the whole thing?

 

Adn, playing devil's advocate, how long before he climbs out of his crib?

 

Bolt anything climbable to the wall--dressers, bookcases, etc.

 

Kids have zero sense of danger to themselves. I don't know how one of mine is still alive, but he was too young to be trained and was doing ridiculous things. Dd had a touch of that sensory seeking, too, but she was content swinging. Do you think that would help in his case? We bolted a johnny-jump style bucket swing to the middle of our living room ceiling into a joist so she wouldn't bang into the door frames or anything else that was dangerous. For awhile we kept the spring in it so she could boink up and down, but we kept it high enough that she couldn't really jostle her brains too roughly. When she outgrew that, we had a plastic bench swing (Little Tykes) that she'd spin and spin and spin on, on her tummy, a bit like a turtle.

 

Aimee, may you have extra angels on duty watching out for you both.

[ktgrok]

target has johnny jump ups. And yeah, whatever it takes to get sleep. If you get no sleep you will be a danger ot yourself and others. My son coslept, but easily transitioned to his own bed at 3 when we were ready to do so.

[Halftime Hope]

I'm sure I can't take *our* mattress off - it's like a select comfort (before there was such the brand, lol) and has machinery in it (and attached to it). With that said, there is nothing keeping me from putting an air mattress in my older son's bedroom and bunking down in there with Marco for the forseeable future :p

I'm going to get hooks to attach our large furniture (bookcases, dressers, etc) to the walls as you suggest.

 

We had a johnny jump up with our older son. Marco was a surprise and we had rid ourselves of it long before he was born (it was old anyway). I thought they discontinued them? If they still sell them, I would definitely buy one.

BTW, we had one of the soft fabric ones, and then one that had a plastic surround, like a high chair tray, with a fabric bucket seat. If this ebay search will work for you, http://www.ebay.com/sch/sis.html?_kw=Graco+%22Johnny+Jump-up%22+Baby+Swing+%26+Jumper+Seat there are number of brand names for different ones listed. We took the clamp and other junk off the top and just hung the webbing from a carabiner hooked into a looong, heavy duty ceiling eyebolt. You get the drift. : ) I'm sorry about the bed not "working low" for you. Blessings as you all figure out how to accommodate your lives to this sweet babe! Hugs and more hugs!

[babs]

My girlfriend's son rolled out of his bouncy chair...which was up on the kitchen table, and onto the TILE floor! And it was her mom who was watching him at the time. He was 4 mo. Squishy head just like you describe...awful. His daddy is an Ortho surgeon...they were just so worried. No sitters for 3 to 6 mos after that. Happy to report that he is now a 16 yo with a 3.5 gpa at a very rigorous high school. He is fine...not sure my friend ever recovered! Hang in there...I am raising 3 monkeys. They are amazing athletes. It is so hard on me as a mom! I pray for their safety a lot. I.cant be there 24/7. Do get something to go over the top of his crib though...had that for a few of mine. And tie him into anything when you have to leave. Dont give him so much free exploring. he will do well to learn to be confined...it is for his own health! Put a pack n play next to your bed to set him in after you nurse and are too tired to put him in the crib. Put pillows on floor around your bed. Necessity is the mother of invention...you will figure it out. And sleep. You need a few winks more than you know. Ask for help. Some kids are tougher to raise...I denied this and went it on my own for their younger years. Wish I had just realized that I was working 10 x harder than anyone I knew! It is just how some come out. They are the movers and shakers and the world needs them.

 

God bless you.

 

[SunnyDays]

Oh, Aimee... sweetie, I'm so sorry, that must have been terrifying. I'm glad he's doing okay. Yep, I think the air mattress on the floor for a while is a good idea.

 

Mine was a handful, and seriously could not go a week without hitting his head on SOMETHING and leaving a giant bruise. We definitely got a few questions about it. Things weren't nearly as dramatic as it sounds like you have going on, though. We did get childproofing straps and secure his dresser and bookcase to the wall.

 

Something else to look forward to: we called ours the cat burglar. No matter what kind of childproof lock we put on doors and drawers, he puzzled through it until he figured it out and got the dang thing open. Start preparing now, LOL!! :grouphug:

[Pod's mum]

Here's something that may help....

 

ETA: Sorry, I don't know how to make this bigger.

Edited February 3, 2013 by Pod's mum

[Catherine]

My former monkey is now a 19 yo college student, and, you guessed it-rock climber! If I could attach a photo of him climbing, I would. I was very fortunate that he never fractured his skull, but believe, it wasn't for lack of trying. I found he would stay in the bed better between us. I also heavily used a mattress on the floor of his room, which was his bed for several years.

 

You also need a place where you can safely confine him if you need to make an urgent call, or use the bathroom alone, etc. I had a pack n play. He screamed bloody murder when I confined him there. But it was necessary for his safety.

 

I'm glad he is OK and the doctors were at least nice about it. ((hugs))

[Greenmama2]

Eek! Put a mattress on the floor. Yes, as a PP said - how long until he climbs out of his crib? Those extra fence things just make it look extra dangerous to me - extra height to fall from & more stuff to get tangled in.

I'm sorry you had to go through the bone scans & all the questioning.