Question
The baby fell from about 80 cm high last Sunday noon and landed on the back of their head. It’s now been 72 hours since the fall, and the baby is in good spirits, sleeping deeply, and eating a light diet. I’m cautious about giving them oily food. The treatment and its effects so far: Half an hour after the fall, an MRI was done, and there were no abnormalities. Four hours later, another MRI of the brain showed everything was normal, no signs of skin breakage. However, they didn’t eat lunch that day; they ate potato chips and drank fruit juice to fill their stomach, and then threw up several times when they got home, almost everything in their stomach was vomited out, and then they stopped throwing up. On the third day in the morning, they drank some congee but threw it up as well. Then we took them to the hospital, where they ate half an orange and started acting mischievous, wanting to drink milk. When they saw the doctor, they cried loudly. The doctor saw this and suggested not to do another MRI, saying that if the child had a problem, they wouldn’t be so spirited in crying. They recommended drinking congee, juice, and maintaining a light diet to nourish the gastrointestinal tract. I’m looking for help with how to assist: For the past two days, I’ve been careful not to give them too much oily food, and they haven’t thrown up either. Sometimes they say, “I want to throw up,” but when it really happens, they say, “Don’t throw up.” I’m not sure if it’s nausea or just playing around. Dear doctor, why does hitting the head cause nausea and why is it necessary to nourish the gastrointestinal tract? Is it normal to feel nausea after a fall?
Answer
If a baby falls and hits the back of their head without any obvious external injury, it’s important to first observe their mental state and dietary condition. If symptoms such as vomiting occur, it may be necessary to adjust their diet to something light and easy to digest, avoiding oily foods to reduce gastrointestinal burden. Nausea after a fall can be a temporary reaction that usually subsides over time. If symptoms persist or worsen, it’s important to seek medical attention promptly. Nourishing the gastrointestinal tract helps restore body function and avoid electrolyte imbalance due to vomiting.