# My Child Hit Their Head: Bumps, Falls and What to Watch For

> What's normal after a head bump, first aid, signs to watch for, concussion basics and preventing serious falls.

Stage: toddler - Topic: Safety - Page: https://www.askcladle.com/guides/toddler/head-bumps-and-falls

Grounded in: AAP HealthyChildren guidance on head injuries, falls and concussion in children, CDC HEADS UP concussion guidance, and U.S. CPSC fall-prevention guidance. Summarized in Cradle's own words; none of these sources endorse Cradle. General information, not medical advice.

Reviewed: 2026-11

## TLDR

- Most head bumps are minor: a child who cries right away, calms and goes back to playing is usually fine.
- Use a wrapped cold pack, watch closely for a few hours and keep an eye out for 24 hours.
- Call the same day for repeated vomiting, unusual sleepiness, confusion or any non-minor bump under 1. Passing out, seizure or very hard to wake: 911.

## What's common

- Bumps are part of learning to walk, climb and run. Most head bumps are minor, and a child who
  cries right away, calms within a few minutes and goes back to playing is usually fine.
- A goose egg on the forehead can swell fast and look alarming. The scalp has lots of blood
  vessels, so swelling and bleeding are common and usually not serious.

## Right after a bump

1. Stay calm and comfort your child. Look them over for cuts, swelling and anything that seems off.
2. Hold a cold pack or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a cloth on the bump for up to 20 minutes.
3. Watch closely for the next few hours, and keep an eye out for 24 hours.
4. Offer quiet play. A nap is fine if your child was alert and acting normally first; check on
   them while they sleep and make sure they wake and respond as usual.

## What to watch for

- Repeated vomiting, worsening headache, or unusual sleepiness or fussiness.
- Confusion, trouble walking, balance problems, slurred speech or not recognizing you.
- Clear fluid or blood from the nose or ears, or pupils of different sizes.
- In babies under 1, a soft, swollen area on the side or back of the head, a bulging soft spot,
  or not feeding normally.
- Any fall from higher than about 3 feet (1 m) for a baby, or 5 feet (1.5 m) for an older child,
  deserves a same-day check.

## Concussion in older kids

- A concussion is a brain injury, even without passing out. Signs can show up hours later: headache,
  dizziness, light sensitivity, being foggy, moody or not themselves.
- Recovery usually means a short break from hard play and screens, then a gradual return guided by
  the pediatrician.

## Preventing the big falls

- Changing tables, beds and couches: keep a hand on a baby at all times, or change them on the floor.
- Skip baby walkers. The AAP advises against them because of stair falls.
- Hardware-mounted gates at the top of stairs; window guards or stops (see the babyproofing guide).
- Buckle children into high chairs, strollers and shopping carts; don't put a car seat on top of
  a cart.
- No top bunk before about age 6.
- Helmets for trikes, balance bikes, scooters and skates, from the very first ride.
- Soft surfaces under play equipment, such as wood chips or rubber mulch, not grass or dirt.

## When to check in

- Call the pediatrician the same day for any bump in a baby under 1 other than a very minor one, or
  if anything on the watch list shows up.
- Mention repeated falls or clumsiness at the next checkup.
- If your child passes out, has a seizure, or is very hard to wake, call 911.