How To React and Examine A Child Who Fell Down A Flight of Stairs
The first thing to understand about a child falling down the stairs is that its no way as serious as it sounds. While an adult falling down the stairs is quite serious this is not the case with a child. An adult weighs more, is larger, and is taller than a child. When an adult falls down a flight of stairs we might suspect a head or spinal injury resulting from a head first fall. A child on the other hand is not only smaller and shorter than an adult, but their bones are more flexible and less susceptible to injury.
In 2002 the Archives of Disease in Childhood (ADC) released a study titled “Do Falls Down Stairs Cause Serious Injury In Preschool Children?” Data was collected over the course of 18 months from 437 children with ages ranging from under nine months to around four years old. The study concluded the following:
Only 6 children (1%) sustained proximal limb fractures. There were no rib fracture. There were no deaths or severe injuries such as cerebral hemorrhages/tears, visceral trauma or spinal fractures.
Conclusions: Severe injuries and death do not occur as a result of falls down stairs. The pattern of injury is peripheral with sparing of the trunk. Multiple injuries are rare.
(Please note that this post (and the above study as well), is not dealing with a fall down the stairs involving a baby in a walker. Falls of this nature are much more severe for several reasons which are beyond the scope of this post.)
What To Do
The one thing you shouldn’t do when your child falls down the stairs is scream, “OH MY G-D, OH MY G—D!!!, JENNIFER FELL DOWN THE STAIRS!!! OH MY G—D!!! JENNIFERRRRR!!! Even if your daughter’s name is not Jennifer.
Freaking out like that WILL NOT help the situation.
Scene Survey
As you are running to your child take note of the following:
- Is your child crying?
- Is your child moving?
- Is your child bleeding?
If the answers are yes, yes, and no, then that’s great.
Is your child crying?
Your child should cry after falling down a flight of stairs. Crying means that they are conscious and alert. Hopefully, there’s no serious head injury other than a bump on the head.
Is your child moving?
If your child is moving or can move their arms and legs then we can almost rule out any spinal injury.
Is your child bleeding?
It’s obviously a good thing if there is no external bleeding. If you see blood then chances are likely that they are bleeding from either their nose or mouth. The bleeding would probably be minor.
Examining Your Child
Once you reach your child its important to try to remain calm. Your child may be screaming but its important to examine them properly.
Here’s what you should look for:
- Injury to the head, neck, arms, legs
- If they can move
- If they can feel you touching their hands and legs
It’s good to start by asking your child where it hurts. If they tell you that their head hurts then gently feel their head for any obvious injury and bleeding. A bump is common and is generally no need for concern. If they aren’t complaining of any pain in the arms and legs then chances are they have no injury there. If they do complain of pain to either their arms or legs you can easily examine them for possible fractures by following the directions in this past post.
If you are neurotic and still concerned that your child suffered a more serious injury then you could examine their neck as well. Simply feel along the back of their neck for any obvious deformity. If you are not sure what to feel for then feel the back of your own neck to get an idea of what feels normal. After you’ve examined their neck you could ask them to move their arms and legs for you. You could then touch their feet and ask them if they can feel your touch.
Once you’ve determined that except for a few bumps and bruises your child is fine you could then decide if you want to take them to the doctor for further examination.
Like I mentioned before, chances are slim that your child suffered a serious injury from falling down the stairs. The worst thing you could do in this situation is overreact.
This post was submitted to the March 3 issue of the Carnival of Family Life hosted over at Discussing Autism.
February 4th, 2008 at 3:48 am
I’m really glad I read this! My daughter feel down the stairs she seems just fine, but I just feel so guilty and that I let her down. I stopped freaking out once i read this. Thank you
February 4th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
Hi Christy, I hope your daughter is fine and I am happy my post helped.
Thanks for the feedback and gratitude.
March 2nd, 2008 at 10:26 pm
Thanks for participating in this week’s Carnival of Family Life, hosted at Discussing Autism. The Carnival will be live tomorrow, so stop by and enjoy some of the other many articles contributed this week!
Interesting in hosting? Check out the schedule at Colloquium and let me know which week interests you!
JHS
Colloquium
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:50 am
[...] Ellen presents How To React and Examine A Child Who Fell Down A Flight of Stairs posted at [...]
June 7th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
Thank you for the info
Our daughter just fell down stairs, ironically
while we were fixing a gate to the wall!!!
It was the most horrendous moment…but I now feel better.
July 7th, 2008 at 3:27 am
My daughter just fell down a flight of stairs as well and I am overwhelmed with the guilt and shame. I was right beside her and couldn’t do anything !! Been getting nightmares from this. Thanks for your article, it made me feel better.
July 28th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
same thing happened. My 2 year old toppled on hard stairs (2-3 steps) and had a bump on her nose. i was right next to her when she lost her balance. i just felt horrible and shameful. I still feel guilty.
August 30th, 2008 at 9:52 am
thankyou for putting my mind at rest have been convinced that the fall down the stairs must have done some damage to our daughter but this has put it into perspective thanx
September 4th, 2008 at 3:24 am
Thank you! My daughter fell down the stairs today and I feel so guilty but it makes me feel better to know that other parents experience this and that my instincts that my daughter was startled but not injured seem to line up with what you’re saying.
September 4th, 2008 at 8:03 am
Lisa, Taryn,
Its good to hear that your kids are ok. I am glad that my post helped. thanks for the feedback.
September 18th, 2008 at 7:46 pm
my youngest daughter fell down the stairs a couple of days ago only 2 stairs she is 11 she should have knowing better but she was earing socks on a carpet and slid and bumped her head of the edge of the kitchen door her head was bleeding for 2 mins and she took a black-out also she has burst a blood vesel on her nose wich is bleeding and now she had to get a jag in her nose and her head has kinda heelled still a big scar but.But reading this advice made me think im stupid cause i had to run outside with my daughter panicking making her sit at a step with water and me really panicking i should of took i big breath and took this advice but u cant blame me she nrly died the doc said she was luck to live cause she also fractered her neck and now its helled but still in hospital 4 check up’s this will really help all my children have bumepd there head as my son fell in a fire place luck he did not burn his skin is perfect but he luck my daughter when she was little fell into a brick wall after riding a bike and not knowing how to stop and my other daughter in a weel chair fell onto the ground im luck there ALL alive i have now got 4 perfect daughter and 1 perfect boy !!!plz replay
February 21st, 2009 at 8:53 pm
My 13 month old daughter just fell down an entire flight of stairs 2 days ago and I’m still experiencing a lot of anxiety about it! My daughter is doing fine! She is still fearless and sustained no injuries. I took her to the chiropractor right away and had her examined/adjusted. Her back, neck, right shoulder, elbow and hip were out of line but not dislocated. Thank God! I still feel horrible but this article puts me a little more at ease.
February 28th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
Thank you so much for this. I feel like much less of a failure after reading your article. I have experienced a child falling down the stairs as well and the guilt and shame is overwhelming - not to mention the horrible flashbacks. Especially when I read the “what you should do” (or not to do) section I burst out laughing as I found myself inserted my own voice into the “OH MY G-D…” My own reaction wasn’t too far off. Thanks for making me feel even an inch better.
March 10th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
My daughter just fell down the stairs an hour ago and my husband emailed me this article from work. It too really put my mind as ease, i am still slightly concerned about her right shoulder but will check it again when she wakes up from her nap. She calmed down quickly after the fall and we just had a little cuddle time. Thanks for the article it really puts things in perspective.
March 17th, 2009 at 8:59 pm
My nephew just fell off the stairs like 30 mins ago. i told his sister, whom is 7, to watch him while i ran down stairs to get her shoes. I was all the way down stairs and she yells aunt evie and then i see him falling. I was just like omg!!! It happend so fast that im shocked now how couldnt i of caught him. I feel like a terrible aunt!!! He just has a small bruise on his head. but i feel so horrible.
March 24th, 2009 at 12:53 am
Thank you so much for this. My son fell down the stairs and i was so guilt ridden. It is such an awful feeling when you can’t stop it. I feel much better now. He is talking and walking fine. Thank you again.
March 26th, 2009 at 10:30 pm
Thanks for your article. I just recently heard about Liam Nissan’s wife on the news and am still pretty freaked out that my 15 month son just fell down an entire flight of (carpeted) stairs (2.5 hours ago.) I was around the corner in his nursery so sure his gate was shut securely. The only explanation is that it must not have been and I feel so guilty. I just heard the thumping and then his cry when he hit bottom. He was laying on his back. He only cried for a minute or less, was clingy for 5-10 minutes and then himself again. I am not a dramatic person, so I didn’t freak out verbally, but I held him so tight for as long as he’d take it - like when I first brought him home from the hospital and would never let go. I feel like I will never stop imagining his fall. He is taking a nap now and I have the monitor up so loud that I can hear every breath. My husband came home early from work and I spoke with his doctor’s nurse and the hospital’s nurse hotline. Both assured me he is probably fine based on the facts and told me what signs to watch out for. I often let him have the run of the upstairs hall and nurseries while I pick up his room etc. and have been so paranoid about that gate being shut. I feel like we’ll be spending a lot of time downstairs now…
April 9th, 2009 at 6:59 pm
reading this has put my mind at ease and made me giggle at start with not how to react!need to find humor in everything.. my 3 yr old son just fell head first down the stairs.. all of them..i heard a bang a shout and a lil body come sliding past living room door.. my reaction was a scream before getting to him and alot of panic about injuries.. even as he 2 mins later was running through the house being his usual destructive self.. this though has put my mind at rest.. none of you and no one should feel bad about yourself,i go out of my way to see to it my children are safe,can’t protect them from everything and can’t keep them from being children though.. accidents are part of chidhood and will teach the child things parents words and precautions can not..
April 24th, 2009 at 5:12 am
Oh my god, my 5 year old just fell down the stairs and i’m so freaked out! I’m so worried, because i did not see how he fell. But i do fell a little better after read everyone’s comments.
April 27th, 2009 at 3:11 am
I’m so glad I read this article. My 20 month old fell down 14 hardwood steps, landing on tile. YIKES. She cried for about 5 min. I was calm then she was back to her playful normal self. The nurse I called said I should check on her for 6 hrs, once per hour while she is sleeping. She has a bump on her eyebrow and some bruises on her face. But she’s fine….
April 29th, 2009 at 2:58 am
Thank you. I had this happen to my 11 month old daughter today. Of course, I cannot sleep- I just keep going over and over the whole thing in my mind. She tumbled down 8 carpeted stairs. Every time I close my eyes I envision what happened- I turned around and she was already tumbling down- and I couldn’t get to her- it was nightmarish. I had to call my husband home from work because I was dry heaving and hyper ventillating I was so upset. At least I know that I’m not the first and am soooo grateful for everyone’s comments.
May 8th, 2009 at 1:25 am
Thanks for all the comments - our 18 month old son fell down 8 hardwood steps onto a tile floor and all I can think of is Natasha Richardson! He cried for about 5 minutes and then returned to normal. Of course this happened within 30 minutes of bedtime. We tried to keep him up but he is tired because it is his normal bedtime! I will check him every 30 minutes or so and I am sure I will wake him up once or twice…..I do feel better after reading all of this!!
May 29th, 2009 at 9:01 pm
Thank you for posting your comments. My 16 months fell down the stairs as well , I feel so guilt but she was really fast. She is fine , running , talking… But not sure if I can sleep tonight I will proberly check her every 5 minutes. But your comments really helped better than NHS 24 nobody there to answer my call.
May 30th, 2009 at 6:50 pm
I am really happy to hear that this post helped. thank you for the positive feedback.
June 2nd, 2009 at 4:45 am
My 17 month old fell down a full flight of stairs (carpeted - 12 steps) yesterday. Safety gate was closed and I was RIGHT THERE! We were going towards her bedroom and she turned and ran towards the gate. Pushed the middle of the gate and it just opened. I never like her to even touch the gate, but I couldn’t grab her in time. She rolled down the entire stairs backwards and landed on her back and head hit floor. I was just inches from getting her the entire time…but couldn’t get her. I just wanted to get her before she hit the bottom. She is FINE. AMAZINGLY!!
She only had a diaper on as we were in the process of changing her. She got a couple of scrapes…but that is all. I really thought the worst as she fell. I am still crying a day and a half later. I was up all night last night checking on her. I did call 911 right away and ambulance was there within minutes. We took her to the doctor today as well. She is absolutely fine. I am just traumatized. This article/post really really helps. It will be a while before I can put the image out of my mind though….if ever.
June 25th, 2009 at 2:15 am
My 13 month old daughter fell down the stairs earlier today. I thought the gate was closed but as i was changing my clothes i heard some thumps down the stairs. my daughter often throws things through the gate slots, but this time when i checked to see what happened i saw my daughter at the bottom of the stairs. i freaked out and flew down the stairs to get to her. i still feel sick to my stomach thinking how I let that happen, but i am so thankful that God made these precious little ones so tuff. what an awful day. thanks for writing this post. i do feel much better knowing that i am not the only one that has a story like this!
July 1st, 2009 at 6:35 pm
Thanks. My 5 yr. old daughter is on vacation with her Dad at Grandma’s and he called to tell me that she fell down a flight if stairs. No one witnessed the fall so we are not sure if she hit her head but she did bust her lip. I told him to keep a close eye on her and not let her fall asleep, and if he sees her acting dazed or confused to rush her to the hospital. This article did make me feel a little more at ease.
July 2nd, 2009 at 12:02 am
My 9 moth old baby girl just fell down 5 hardwood steps and landed on her face atop a pile of shoes and paint cans. She has a lumpsasaurus starting on her hairline, but otherwise seems ok. Like the other moms though, I’ll be on alert and freaking out for several days. Great article, thanks!
July 5th, 2009 at 3:49 am
My 15 month old fell down the stairs today and I was very stressed out and I cried so much! I did the worst thing as mentioned above… However, I did inspect her, she had some minor cuts on her lip where I believe she bit her lip, but all her limbs were fine, she was crying and alert and after a couple minutes of both of us crying, she laughed at ME for crying! She seems ok, but I can’t help feeling like I’m neglecting her as a parent! I hope all is well with her though! This article at least gives me a teeny bit of peace, thank you!
July 17th, 2009 at 10:01 am
Thanks for sharing the article and all the comments that followed. My 4.5 yr old was pushed from the top of a ladder on a high bunk bed and fell on her face on a hardwood floor. Her cheek is swelling and there was a bit of bleeding (I think from inside of cheek). She only stopped sobbing when she fell asleep, after over an hour, and this was the first chance we had to put Arnica on the swelling cheek (no ice - she wouldn’t let us!). Will keep monitoring her pupils, and level of alertness, over next few days, rather than taking her for check-up straight away, as from what I’ve read here she’ll be fine, except that she’ll look like Mike Tyson after a bad bout
August 19th, 2009 at 3:31 am
I, like many other parents here am SO glad I came across this article! Our 9 month old son fell down our long stairway today, I only wish I would have read this article b/c I was yelling “Oh My God!!” and panicing just like the above example. It DIDN’T help matters! Next time I will try my best to remain calm in any scary situation! The baby seems perfectly fine now, he has a couple red bumps on his head and beside his eye that seem sensitive to touch. We knew better, we talked about getting a baby gate this week (he just started crawling a couple days ago) we just put it off, sadly - then this happened. So a wake-up call to us and any other parent reading this. Do what you know to do NOW, don’t put it off! Lastly, this article has helped me b/c all day long I have replayed that horrible scene of the baby falling down the stairs and crying. SO thankful to God he is ok and yes, we did go out and purchase a baby gate tonight! ..never again will I put something so importnat off.
August 30th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
I like the rest have to thank you for this post. My fearless and incredibly cunning 15 month old got by the gate this morning. Thankfully, I didn’t panic and did everything advised here on my own (she tends to get into trouble a lot so I’ve learned to panic latter), but I’m still feeling horrible for letting it happen. This came up first when I searched and it was exactly what I needed.
September 19th, 2009 at 4:29 am
My 2 year old fell down the basement stairs yesterday. He was crying but I remained calm outwardly and didn’t scream. I picked him up right away and held him. He almost immediately stopped crying and started cooing at things in the basement and pointing at them. Thank goodness! It only makes me think of people who beat their kids and claim they have fallen down stairs. My son didn’t have so much as a bruise on his body, except for a small scratch under his eye.
September 24th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
I am so happy I just read this. Still in tears from yesterday my 17 month old fell down our outside steps and has cuts from hitting the sidewalk, and now she is at daycare. I feel a little better reading this.
November 7th, 2009 at 9:10 am
Im am a little bit more relieved that i have found this website and realising that i am not the only one it has happened to.
Last night My 2 yr old son fall down an entire flight of stairs at my sisters house.
She lives in one of those house where she lives above her garage.We were just getting ready to leave when i couldnt grab him in time.
It was awful i felt so helpless i couldnt help or stop him.
He just walked straight off them,he actually didnt hit the stairs till halfway as he just stepped of them he missed hitting the first half,he then slid along his side,hit hes forehead on the side of the wall,rolled and landed on his back,hitting the back of his head on the tiles at the bottom.
He seems fine he has a graze on his forehead and he had bitten the side of his tongue on the way down.
But considering he fell from the top he came away really lucky,i couldnt stop shaking it was awful.
I still feel bad today the fact that i should have watched him more clearly and i didnt grab him.
Thankyou for this website.
November 22nd, 2009 at 1:09 am
Feeling a tad bit better about this. My 2yr old son just fell down the stairs. He cut the back of his head and it is bleeding. He seems to be fine other than the cut. I am watching and hoping the bleeding stops. I am just devasted. My baby! It is just horrible. I did react way too bad. He has been fine on stairs for a while now and has never had a problem. He is 21/2. All of a sudden, this has happen 2 times in one week!!!!! I guess it is time to put the gates back on the stairs! Just feel horrible and sad!!!!!!!!!!!
November 23rd, 2009 at 8:32 pm
My 8 month old daughter fell down our entire set of stairs today. I’m such a paranoid first time mom and was convinced that every bone in her body was broken! She cried for about 10 minutes will my husband called the nurse in our family. Needless to say, she recovered quickly and began crawling while I’m ridden with guilt. I’m so happy to have found this article to give me piece of mind…Thank you!
December 3rd, 2009 at 4:58 am
Thank God for this article. My daughter fell down 25 steps today and on top of that I had to leave her to go to work. This really calmed me down. I think I’m more tramatized then she is. She asked for a cookie after she fell and I was convinced she was severly hurt but she’s fine.
December 3rd, 2009 at 5:50 pm
my daughter fell down to the stairs. She climbed up the couch and fell down to the stairs which is side by side with the couch that is about 6′7″ height. After she fell down she cried but she doesn’t seem to have any injuries. no bleeding nose, nothing. Although after that she started to have running nose. Does this have to be related to the fall. I can’t take to the doctor because she doesn’t have insurance. What should I do?
December 3rd, 2009 at 6:08 pm
my daughter fell down to the stairs. She climbed up the couch and fell down to the stairs which is side by side with the couch that is about 6′7″ height. After she fell down she cried but she doesn’t seem to have any injuries. no bleeding nose, nothing. Although after that she started to have runny nose. Does this have to be related to the fall. I can’t take to the doctor because she doesn’t have insurance. What should I do?
December 4th, 2009 at 1:49 am
Ruth, I wouldn’t worry about the runny nose. Their noses are so soft as children they are unlikely to do any damage to them. If they fall on their head, I think the main thing to watch is for signs of concussion - confusion, eyes pupils different sizes or not responding to light (they should be small in bright / daylight, and large inside house / at night, and both the same size at the same time). I hope she’s OK, and hope you can get insurance for her soon too - just to be sure, to be sure …..in future!
December 6th, 2009 at 4:51 am
I am thankful to have read this article. Our 8 month baby boy fell down are carpeted basement stairs (about 10 steps). It was so scary and yes I was yelling OH MY GOD like crazy. Thanks to god everything is ok. They did a ct scan at the hopsital and no injuries. His face is just bruised up from the fall. I just hope I can get over this fear in my heart. Thank you all for your posts..
December 17th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
Thanks for the article. Our son just fell downstair a whole flight of stairs (14 carpeted) but downstairs we have a hard tile like marble. Me and my older son were up with him beside the gate when he missed the first step and start rolling in front of our eyes like a doll right down the stairs…it was shocking, i was frozen in my spot. He didn’t fall on his back but on his face and i think his arms protected banging too hard. It was horendous. We went to the night doctor and he said he was fine, definetly no concussion. But i am still in shock, nearly hysteric. I kept asking my husband did the doctor really say he is ok? i feel like i am not going to let him out of my hands
January 8th, 2010 at 3:23 am
This post really helped. my daughter just fell down and thnaks God for my Husband who did not over react, i was in the back of the kitchen asking him what happened, i did see blood from the mouth but minor, she stopped bleeding right away, but she cried for like 10 minutes, now she is playing with my husband like nothing ever happened…thanks for this post
January 8th, 2010 at 6:05 am
Patricia,
I am happy to hear that your daughter is ok and this post has helped. She’ll probably never remember it.
January 28th, 2010 at 8:02 am
honestly wat if ur child is not a preschooler or older than 1 Than wat do u do I CRIED AND GRABBED HIM I FELT BAD LIKE i WAS in THE wrong!!!for ever letting my son down!!!
January 28th, 2010 at 7:09 pm
Its just happened to me and I literally screamed ‘oh my god’ ‘oh my god’. It was less than a few seconds. I feel terrible! After reading this I feel slightly better but I’ll never take my eyes of him again while upstairs. Its a horrible feelin. Thanks for your post.
February 23rd, 2010 at 3:03 am
thanks i feel much better that was SCARY
February 28th, 2010 at 6:44 pm
my son just fell down the stairs hard wood I was in the kitchen i heard him scream and I went running for him. But he had ended up smacking the tile floor when I got to him. he hit his face on the floor he has a lump on his head . he cried for like 2min and cuddled with me then got down and started dancing like nothing happend. It scared me so bad all I can say is I hope now he understands why mommy says dont play on the stairs
March 10th, 2010 at 6:28 pm
My 24 month old fell down the staris last night and my husband screamed and blamed me for letting him fall. My son was fine afterwards but I felt terrible.