Bump on Head for Months

I would see another doctor and get a few other opinions before ruling it as normal. I think 4 months is a long time to have a bruise.

I think I would find a different pediatrician and have it looked at. I don't think I would go back to that one.

K.

I would get a second opinion she is your daughter,and if you don't feel right then there has to be something wrong or maybe not and you just want to make sure what it is.Either way do it.Sahm of 2 kids and love it

it's ridiculous if they didn't even tell you to bring her in. i would definitely either make an appointment or get a S. opinion (or both!) how can they know without seeing it? and how are you supposed to just be "okay" with a big bump growing on your child's head? my ped. is the opposite - my son has a cough and they tell me to bring him in (gotta get that copay out of me!) but in this case i would make sure someone saw him and i got an actual answer.

One of my daycare kids fell in the park with her parents. They said that she had a small bump just like you described. But by the time I met her it was a lump under the skin and the bruising had gone away. But it was soft. It turned into a fatty deposit and kept growing. Eventually they did have to have it surgically removed. But it wasn't serious or cancerous or anything like that. If I remember right, it was sort of at her hair line and slightly above or at her temple.

I also knew another person that had the same thing happen. He said his started as a bump and it was on his forhead, off to the side a bit and also near the hairline.

Suzi

First, when you say it is getting bigger, is it changing in color. It is common for a small, deep purple bruise to evolve into a greenish bruise that appears to spread out as it heals. If this is the case and she were older, I would recommend a form of hydrotherapy to help clear the hematoma. It can be difficult to get a 2 y/o to cooperate, however. I tried using moist heat on my son's sty at that age, and well... forget it! You might be able to get her to accept it if she is wrapped in a favorite video or someone else is helping to keep her entertained.

Bruises happen when blood capillaries are injured and leak a bit. The body will normally clean up the mess on its own, but sometimes needs a little encouragement. So, you apply moist heat for 2 mins, followed by ice for 1 min, followed by heat for 2 mins. This can be repeated for several minutes, but you should always begin and end the process with heat and apply heat twice as long as ice.

Moist heat causes the cells to engorge with body fluids. Ice causes cells to constrict and squeeze out the body fluids. Essentially, this is like washing a sweater -- you get the material wet, then you gently squeeze it out. So, you are just helping the body to rinse out the old blood.

In most parts of the world mothers know these sorts of therapies and home remedies. Here, we rely so much on the dr's office and don't know much about common sense approaches like this. In the US, it is common to surgically remove bruises that do not go away on their own. I would certainly try the hydrotherapy before I let that happen unless there was some other indication that surgery is necessary.

Keep one thing in mind. This method of hydrotherapy is for bruises more than 3 days old ONLY! Moist heat on a new bruise will make it worse!!! Always use ice alone for the first 3 days to minimize bruising and inflammation.

If the bruise is still intensely blue or purple and is still getting bigger, it likely needs medical attention. It could be something as simple as a small broken capillary that just isn't healing and needs a tiny stitch or to be cauterized.

If you want to get doctors to listen to you, learn a few of the terms they use. They tend to think you are more intelligent if you can speak their language and that often gets their attention. I found nearly all the following terms with a Wikipedia search for 'bruise'. Instead of "bump", for example, use "minor blunt trauma". A "bruise" is a "hematoma", "contusion", or "ecchymosis". So, if you were to call the Dr, or better yet fax the Dr, with the message that your 2 y/o has a hematoma from a minor blunt trauma 4 months ago that is enlarging and has not altered in color and that you feel she needs to be checked, and perhaps treated, for continued internal hemorrhage, you might get a more appropriate response. If you can, ask them to fax you a response telling you whether you should set an appointment to see them or if they suggest emergency care. Doctors don't like to brush you off in writing. Paper trails can get them in trouble. They can always claim you misunderstood a phone conversation. For some reason, they also tend to respect people better if they know how to use a fax service. If you don't have a fax, a local Office Depot or Office Max should be able to help you with that.

By the way. I don't let doctors brush me off. Even if the child needs something like the process I described, we should have doctors that have the knowledge and compassion to guide a new mother with care and understanding. I will not accept less from someone who is working for me and is being paid well to do so. The best way I have found to identify doctors that are still human beings is to ask around for referrals at health food stores and natural practitioners, such as chiropractors. These folks often choose better, smarter, and more caring MDs. I just ask if they know any intelligent, caring, and competent MDs that they would recommend. Then I ask if this is the doctor they take their family to see. I have found some great MDs this way. I cannot say, however, that I ever found a pediatrician I felt I could completely trust, and I really looked for one. We took our son to a general family practitioner who was a DO. He was just marvelous!

In my experience I have found that many doctors (not all) treat women less respectfully than men, people in their 40's and 50's more respectfully than the young or the elderly, and mothers less respectfully than other women. It used to make me angry, but that did not get me any more respect. So, I got smarter. I learned to patiently and persistently ask respectfully intelligent questions. I pray for those who don't have the mental capacity to do this much. May God give MDs the compassion to serve these poor ones respectfully.

Hope this helps you. Glad to see a mom who keeps searching when she knows something isn't right.

Get a second opinion right away. I would not wait for anything that has to do with the skull.

Good Luck.

Good Morning T., I would definitely take her to another Dr. if your present one will not see her. The bruise should not be hanging on for 4 months and getting larger.

If possible take your mom or a sister with you, having some one else with you can help ease your fears some and they may be able to ask question or remember things that you may of not grasped at the moment. Also there is STRENGTH in Numbers.
Don't let the Dr leave until you are completely satisfied with the diagnosis. If they throw those big words at ya Make them put it in laymans terms.

God Bless T., please let us know how it goes.
K. Nana of 5

Hi T.-

Trust your intuition. If you are concerned about it, demand that your pediatrician get your child in to be seen. If it is nothing, you can be reassured. But, if you are uncomfortable with it (and clearly you are because you posted this) don't be afraid to demand that your child be seen. Mother's intuition is a strong thing and shouldn't be ignored. Good luck!

Hi T.,

I would be a bit concerned especially since it occured at daycare. You didn't see it happen, so how bad did she really bump her head? I am sure the daycare is a great place, but accidents happen. When I was at daycare I had my two front teeth knocked out because this boy pushed me while I was about to go across the monkey bars. When he pushed me, I went forward hard into the first bar and my teeth were knocked out. Thank goodness they were my baby teeth. I remember the daycare provider telling my mom over the phone that I had an accident but it wasn't serious. You can imagine her surprize to see me with blood all the way down my shirt and my front teeth missing. The daycare provider made it out to be my fault and didn't tell my mom about the boy who pushed me. I was old enough to let my mom know what really happened. She was so angry. Needless to say we never went back. My point is, they have alot of children to watch and accidents do happen wheather it's the childs doing or another child causing it. A bruise doesn't normally last that long. You know kids they bounce right back faster than we do. Since it's her head I would get it checked again. i wouldn't rub it though. It already has had trauma in that area. It may cause more. A bruise is a blood vesel that has broken and in time repairs it's self. It doesn't usually take this long. Maybe she hit her head harder than the daycare was explaining. I am not saying they are lying, but I would question what they told you. Maybe they were worried how you would react,or what you might do, so they down played what happened. ASk your pediatrition again. I know head wounds can look worse then they are, but it wouldn't hurt to ask about it again. My kid bumps his head everyday it seems like here at home. He has had some bad bumps and bruises, but they heal within a week. There is a possibility that she hit her head in the same spot again. My son has done this before and when he does, it takes about two weeks to heal completely. Another thing, pediatritions can not make a diagnosis over the phone, they need to see your child to be sure. If she were my daughter I would have her seen just in case. I hope this has been of some help to you. I hope everything works out for your little girl.

A. H.

Get her in to see the doctor, and preferrably a pediatrician. They are far more attuned to childhood trauma and the dangers with letting a strange bruise continue for 4 months. If you are already seeing a pediatrician, either talk to the nurse and insist on being seen, or if you now have doubts, get in with a different pediatrician. This is abnormal. Get some answers.

Why would you call the insurance company before taking her to a doctor???? Go to a different doctor.

I would actually get an appointment either with her doctor or another one. It's possible that she's hitting it again and again in the same spot which would cause it not to go away. But it could be more serious, there are illnesses that cause wounds not to heal properly or within a regular amount of time. I'm not a doctor so I don't want to speculate. But I would definitely take her to see the dr. BTW why would you call the insurance first? I would see the dr. if you know the dr. is in your ins. plan. Then deal with the billing later.

I would demand that they see her,that dont sound right, i know bruises last awhile but the bruise shouldnt be there from 4mths ago.

Take her to another doctor. She should not have a bruise on her head that lasts 4 months!

Hi, T.! I'm mama to 2 grown kids (3 if you count my son-in-law!) and two grandsons...a seven-week-old and a 2-year-old in heaven.
We mamas have our intuition for a reason. More times than I would like to admit, I listened to the doctor instead of my insides. What I have learned is that I need to listen to myself and get a second opinion. It can't hurt, and it just might help!

Aunt C

Even though you were told over the phone by your pediatrician's office that it's no big deal...I would make an appointment and actually have the DR. look at it. It could have been that you just spoke to a nurse who did not take your concern seriously. A bruise does not take 4 months to disappear and it usually doesn't grow larger...it turns its color and then goes away. Better to be safe than sorry.

It may be okay especially if she hasn't developed any other symptoms like dizziness, etc. Sometimes bumps on the head can cause a concussion but you usually know when that has occured because the child within the 1st 24 hrs. will start to act really lethargic and may start vomiting. I'd still have it checked out. Best Wishes!

I'd would call and schedule an appt with her doctor. My kid if fair skinned and bruises easily but has never had a bruise last 4 months ago. You might even think about getting a second opinion if you doctor seems to blow you off.

Make sure you are comfortable with whatever answers you get. If not, go somewhere else. Definately, have this looked at. As a mom don't be afraid not to take the word of a physician, if it doesn't click for you and doesn't sound right keep investigating until either you get an answer that sounds right or you are comfortable that enough doctors are saying the same thing that it is probably correct. It is a terrible feeling to feel like later you did not advocate enough for your child because you didn't want to go against a dr's word or in your case someone from a doctor's office. I once took the word of a nurse at my peds office that my son didn't need to be seen and he ended up with pneumonia. At the time I wasn't sure and I figured they knew what they were talking about. Now if he needs to be seen I skip talking to the nurse and just ask for an appt. I hope you get answers soon so hang in there and you came to a good place for advice and support.

I am a mom of three daughters and a RN. Call the pediatricians office and tell them that she has to be seen. If they don't feel that there is something abnormal about a bruise on the head lasting for four months and increasing in size during that time, then it's time to find a new pediatrician.

I would call your Dr's office immediately! If they don't want to do anything about it call a different Dr.
That's rediculous for them to diagnose over the phone!
4 months is a long time for a little one to have a bruise let alone a bruise that's getting bigger. Kids heal quick.
I use to work in a Veterinary office and we were NEVER allowed to try to diagnose over the phone for fear of not getting all the info & not being able to physically see the problem.
I can't believe a Pediatrician would be any different!

If you have insurance I would go ahead and take her to the Doctor. There's no way that they can tell you she's okay without seeing her. It might not be anything but it's always better to be safe and get it checked out. Good luck.

I wouldn't have called the ped doctor but taken her to the ER immediately. I also have a home daycare and I would have insisted the parents take her the day it happened to have her checked out and not have waited as long. I also would have had the parents signing papers if they refused to have the child seen so I wouldn't be held accountable at a later date for her injury.

This has happened to me before and I take every precaution I know of now.