Since Natasha Richardson died from an epidural hematoma, I have been thinking a lot about falls in general. I have especially been concerned about kids’ falls. Personally, I don’t know any mom whose kid has not fallen – off a bed, a sofa, or something. (Okay, one mom that I know claims her kid has never fallen off anything in his life, but I’m not quite sure that I believe her.) Anyway, I’ve been wondering whether I should take my kids to the hospital when they fall in the future. (I’m a pretty attentive mom, but I’m also a realist – they will fall again.)
Fortunately, I was able to talk to renowned pediatrician Dr. Harvey Karp this morning. (I was interviewing him regarding a totally unrelated topic, but he was kind enough to calm my fears.) First of all, he said that Ms. Richardson’s condition was an uncommon event in general even more so in regards to young children. Their skull bones are more flexible and not as easily broken. When our kids do fall, for the most part we just need to keep any eye on them for the next couple of hours. If it happens at night, we should wake them up occasionally to make sure that they’re alright. When do we need to take them to the hospital? If they have a big knock on their head, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Also, if the kid gets knocked out when they hit their head, complain about headaches or start vomiting – it’s time to get medical attention. As a final note of reassurance, Dr. Karp shared that in his 30+ years as a pediatrician, he has never come across a case of epidural hematoma in kids (and he has treated many kids who have fallen!). All that to say – it happens, but it’s extremely rare in its occurrence. Whew – that’s a relief!