A MUM has shared a series of terrifying photos of her little boy so no other family has to go through the same heartache.
The unnamed youngster was playing in the kitchen at home when he slipped and fell backwards, hitting his head on the floor.
A little boy fell over in the kitchen at home and hit his headInstagram/tinyheartseducation
He suffered a brain bleed and blood clotInstagram/tinyheartseducation
His mum heard a “loud bang” and her son instantly burst into tears.
Speaking to children’s safety page Tiny Hearts Education, she said: “I knew he hit head first because it was such a loud bang.
“I cuddled him but felt something was off. He would normally calm down, but this time he didn’t.
“Suddenly my son stopped crying and said ‘mummy’ before going completely limp, and his eyes rolled back.”
The concerned mum immediately phoned for an ambulance and her child was rushed to hospital with a suspected concussion.
He threw up twice on the way, but after several hours in A&E and no more vomit, the family were told they could go home.
“[Doctors] felt his head and said they couldn’t feel any fractures,” the mum said.
“You couldn’t even see where he hit his head because there was no lump or red marks.”
She said she quizzed medics “multiple times” on what symptoms would indicate a brain bleed and was told the tell-tale signs were redness behind the ears and bruising under the eyes, neither of which her son was experiencing.
Despite this, the mum asked if a scan would be a good idea, but she was advised it wasn’t necessary so they left.
She shared a photo of her boy taken on this night. In it, he appears smiling and well.
But she could not have predicted the nightmare that would follow.
Two days later, the little one’s head turned “soft and squishy” and he started “crying uncontrollably”.
They returned to the hospital, with him vomiting repeatedly during the journey, but still experts said a scan wasn’t needed.
Thankfully, a different member of staff agreed to carry one out.
“Thank God. This lady was out saving grace,” the mum, from Australia, said.
“When she came in with the results, my heart sank.”
‘MY HEART SANK’
The youngster had fractured his skull and had internal bleeding, creating a large haematoma, or blood clot, which was pushing on his brain.
Doctors at a nearby children’s hospital said they needed to operate immediately.
“We arrived at 9pm and by 10pm he was in surgery,” the mum said.
“We were there for 10 nights as he had lost all his balance and had to relearn to walk.”
She shared several other photos during his stay as a stark warning to other parents.
One shows him clutching a toy car with half his hair shaved off and stitches along his skull.
In another, he is covered in bandages and surrounded by wires, while a third shows him with a swollen eye and more dressings on his head.
His mum said: “It’s so important to trust your gut and advocate for the little human who can’t.”
Mums and dads praised the brave parent for sharing her harrowing story to help educate others.
One commented on the Instagram post: “This is so scary and sad but such an eye-opener to parents to always advocate for their little ones as we know best.”
A second said: “Wow. Now this highlights the importance of listening to your intuition and advocating for yourself or your child.
“Doctors aren’t always right.”
While a third wrote: “So glad this mama trusted her instincts.”
Instagram/tinyheartseducationHis mum wants to warn other parents of the signs to look out for[/caption]
Instagram/tinyheartseducationThe youngster in hospital[/caption]
The youngster on the night he hit his headInstagram/tinyheartseducation
How serious are head injuries?
MOST head injuries aren’t serious, according to the NHS.
But it’s important to get medical help if you or your child have any symptoms after a head injury.
This indicates you might have concussion that can last several weeks.
You should go to A&E if you or your child had a head injury and have:
been knocked out but have now woken up
vomited (been sick) since the injury
a headache that does not go away with painkillers
a change in behaviour, like being more irritable or losing interest in things around you (especially in children under 5)
been crying more than usual (especially in babies and young children)
problems with memory
been drinking alcohol or taking drugs just before the injury
a blood clotting disorder (like haemophilia) or you take medicine to thin your blood
had brain surgery in the past
You or your child could have concussion. Symptoms usually start within 24 hours, but sometimes may not appear for up to three weeks.
You should also go to A&E if you think someone has been injured intentionally.
Source: NHS