Nothing is more important to a parent than the well-being and safety of their children. Unfortunately, many parents have to face the fact that their child was injured in a car accident.
After a car accident, some injuries and traumas may not be visible and may have delayed effects. You need to be especially attentive to a child that is too young to articulate if they have been injured. There are signs that you can be on the look-out for. Paying special attention to these symptoms can help you determine if you need to seek immediate medical attention for your child.
A word of advice: “If you’ve been in a car accident while driving your kids, even if you think everything is fine, you can consider making an appointment with your child’s pediatrician,” says Miami car accident lawyer Sean M. Cleary. At times, injuries cannot be seen and it’s always better to be extra-cautious in order to ensure your child’s health and wellness.
1. Restlessness or Irritability
You may want to pay attention to any drastic changes in your child’s mood or if your child’s sleep pattern has been noticeably altered. If your child is restless, more than usual, it could be a sign for further investigations needed, performed by a medical professional.
Very young children will let you know when something is going on with them by being irritable or acting fussy. Your child may have suffered an injury that you didn’t see happen and is not noticeable to the undiscerning eye.
2. Vomiting
If there is no indication that your child is sick but they begin to vomit after a car accident, it’s possibly due to an injury sustained in the accident. Although the injury doesn’t necessarily have to be a serious one, some of the children may experience at least one episode of vomiting if they hurt their head in the car accident. Such an episode could call for a specialized medical consult.
3. Excessive Crying
All babies cry. However, if you notice that your baby is crying more than usual and cannot be consoled after a car accident they sustained, they may be in pain due to an injury.
4. Lethargy or Other Behavior Changes
You need to consider paying attention to changes in your child’s behavior such as lethargy, difficulty in waking up after a short nap or other abnormal behavior. Car accidents can have physical, emotional and psychological consequences for children. At times, this can be manifested by a child’s sudden and sustained loss of appetite or a loss of interest in normal activities or favorite toys.
5. Difficulty Walking or Lack of Coordination
Very young kids can’t describe how they’re feeling or respond to certain tests. And to parents, it might just seem they were clumsy. If your child stumbles or has difficulty walking, clumsiness, or lack of coordination they may have suffered ear, head, or neck injuries.
If your child was recently involved in a car accident, you need to seek medical attention if you feel something is wrong or notice changes in the child’s routine. Parents have unique intuition when it comes to the well-being of their children.
Being mindful of these 5 signs will help ensure your child gets the medical attention they need when injured in a car accident. Also, it can be helpful to notify any babysitters, daycare workers, or other caretakers of the crash.
When everyone knows what happened, your child can be watched closely for a time. This is how any symptoms of a possible injury can be reported to you and your child’s doctor.
In many instances kids are capable of working through challenges and heal quickly and completely. Every parent would be grateful for that. But kids are also fragile and our legal system can help protect little ones who are injured because of another individual’s careless action.
About the author:
Sean M. Cleary is the principal attorney and founder of The Law Offices of Sean M. Cleary, personal injury law firm based in Miami, Florida. Sean is a highly skilled and experienced lawyer that represents clients subject to car accidents, product liability and medical malpractice cases.
