Fourways Baby and Family Clinic

12/02/2026

🤕 Toddler falls: when to worry (and what to look out for)

Toddlers fall. A lot.
Learning to walk, climb and explore comes with bumps and tumbles and most of the time, these falls look far scarier than they are.

The good news? Most minor head bumps do not cause serious injury.

But knowing what to watch for can give parents peace of mind.

🟢 Usually not serious if your toddler:

* Cries immediately after the fall (this is reassuring)
* Is quickly comforted
* Goes back to playing as usual
* Has a small bump or bruise
* Is alert, responsive, and behaving normally
* Eats and drinks as usual

🚩 Seek medical advice urgently if your child has:

* Loss of consciousness, even briefly
* Repeated vomiting
* Severe or worsening headache
* Unusual drowsiness or difficulty waking
* Confusion, disorientation, or behaviour that’s “not them”
* Seizures
* Unsteady walking, weakness, or clumsiness
* Bleeding that won’t stop
* Clear fluid or blood from the nose or ears
* A large swelling, deep cut, or soft spot on the head
* A fall from a significant height(change table, stairs, bed, high chair, couch)

👀 What to do at home after a minor fall

* Comfort your child and observe them for 24 hours
* Apply a cold compress to bumps (10–15 minutes, a few times a day)
* Let them rest, but they should be easy to wake and behave normally
* Offer fluids and light food
* Avoid rough play for the rest of the day

💡 Tip: It’s okay for your child to sleep after a fall.
You don’t need to keep them awake, just check in on them and make sure they are rousable and behaving normally.

🧠 Extra facts parents often ask about

* Toddlers’ heads are proportionally larger and heavier, so they fall head-first more often
* A bump (“goose egg”) looks dramatic but is usually a sign of minor injury to the scalp, not the brain
* Symptoms of concussion can sometimes appear hours later, which is why observation at home is important
* Helmets should always be worn for bikes, scooters and balance bikes

🏠 Prevention tips (because toddlers are fast!)

* Never leave toddlers unattended on high surfaces (change tables, beds, couches)
* Never allow children to stand in grocery trolleys
* Use safety gates on stairs
* Secure furniture and TVs to the wall
* Keep floors free of toys and trip hazards
* Non-slip socks or shoes help on smooth floors
* Supervise closely during bath time and on wet surfaces

🤍
Most toddler falls are a normal part of growing up.
Trust your instinct, if something about the fall or your child’s behaviour worries you, it’s always okay to seek medical advice.

Dr Willem Smit
Paediatrician

23/01/2026

Nestlé has announced the recall of some batches of infant formula. We did this as a precaution after identifying a quality issue with an ingredient used in s...

12/11/2025

Excited to announce the availability of the Meningococcal B Vaccine (Group B Meningitis), Bexsero, in SA and Fourways Baby and Family Clinic

The vaccine can be given from 8 weeks of age, to 50 years of age, and this is a huge step in being able to protect against this often devastating serotype of IMD.

‘Serogroup B is currently the dominant serogroup causing invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) in South Africa, particularly among infants. Since 2016, serogroup B has replaced serogroup W as the most common cause of the disease. Other serogroups (W, Y, and C) also circulate.’

Please contact me to book and work out a vaccination plan for your family! 0829282449

30/09/2025

Bring the kids for a booster!

Measles Situation Report | Week 38 of 2025

From week 1 to week 38 of 2025, national measles surveillance has detected an increase in measles cases. As of 19 September 2025, a total of 1,100 laboratory-confirmed measles cases have been reported nationally, representing an increase of 81 cases since the previous report in week 37.

To access the full report, click here: https://www.nicd.ac.za/weekly-measles-situation-report-week-38-of-2025/

07/08/2025

We offer the MR booster as well!

Measles Situation Report | Week 31 of 2025

From week 1 to week 31 of 2025, national measles surveillance has detected 590 laboratory-confirmed measles cases.

In the past five weeks, from epi-week 27 to epi-week 31, 190 laboratory-confirmed cases were reported: 121 cases in Gauteng province, 35 in the Free State province, and 9 in Mpumalanga province. Other measles cases were reported in the remaining provinces, except for the Eastern Cape province, which reported zero laboratory-confirmed cases.

To access the full report, click here: https://www.nicd.ac.za/weekly-measles-situation-report-week-31-of-2025/.

14/07/2025

01/07/2025

It's a common anti-vaxxer trope that "vaccines overwhelm the immune system". It's utter nonsense.

ALT TEXT: a meme by Refutations to Anti-Vaccine Memes with an image of a petri dish, with various microorganisms growing in the shape of a hand. The meme is headlined with the question and answer:

Can the antigens in Vaccines 'overload' the immune system?

No.

The description of the petri dish image reads:

This is a child's handprint after playing outside. He has been exposed to many bacteria, yeasts and fungi - thousands of new antigens every day.

In the entire childhood vaccination schedule there are only a few hundred antigens. They can't possibly overload the immune system.

The immune system responds to vaccine antigens in the same way as those encountered 'in the wild' every day.

11/05/2025

Happy Mother’s Day from FBF Clinic! Wishing you all a beautiful day 🐨 💗

PS - the clinic phone is not currently working. Please contact me via WhatsApp on 0829282449 or book online!

12/04/2025