When small children are involved in a car accident, they may not be able to tell us whether or not they are in pain.
One of the biggest problems when small children are involved in a car accident is that they are not able to tell us whether or not they are in pain. They may be crying, but this could be due to shock and distress rather than because they are physically hurt. It is therefore important to look out for signs that can indicate an injury following a car crash.
Signs that the baby has suffered an injury
Your child may be vomiting. If they were not suffering from sickness before the crash, vomiting is a sign that they are suffering from an injury. They may have a change of mood or they could have disturbed sleep. You may find that they cry more than usual, or you are not able to console them like you ordinarily would be able to.
It’s important to trust your instincts. No one knows your child better than you do, and often we just know when something isn’t quite right. Keep a close eye on them and at the first sign of something being amiss, consult your doctor. It’s much better to be over cautious and get them checked out early. Some injuries can become worse if left untreated. Taking your child to the doctor can put your mind at ease.
If you’ve been involved in car crash, it’s certainly wise to have a doctor check the children over just to be on the safe side, even if they don’t appear to be hurt in any way. Sometimes symptoms of an injury don’t show themselves immediately and if left untreated, may become worse.
Common injuries in infants and babies are cracked ribs due to the belts on their car seats and injuries to the neck. Babies have weak necks, so a sudden impact can cause some serious damage.
Steps to follow after a car crash
- Call 911 immediately. This should always be the first thing you do.
- Do what you can to avoid making the accident worse, put up cones, put your flashers on.
- Don’t move your child. If they have a spinal injury you could make it worse.
- Don’t resist medical examination or treatment. The doctors know best, let them do their job.
- Contact your own family doctor for continuity of care.
- Keep a close eye on your children for any changes that may indicate an injury.
- Remember to replace your car seats. They should always be replaced once they have been involved in an accident.
- Let everyone who has contact with your children know what has happened so they too can keep a close eye on them.
- Ensure you get ongoing help. This may be medical help, or it may include counseling for the trauma of the accident.
- Seek the advice of a St Louis car wreck lawyer. You may be able to seek compensation for the injuries.