No child learns to walk without plenty of spills. Perhaps it is fortunate that at the start of the process, most children appear to be fearless. Also, fortunately, the skull does not close until 18 months of age in most children, so it can absorb much of the impact of a fall without harm to the brain. Nonetheless, a parent should take a fall very seriously. If it causes unconsciousness or a dazed attitude, a doctor should be called without delay.
Preventive methods are always preferable to crises.
Toddlers can be taught not to fall straight backward like a board by repeatedly bending them from a standing into a sitting position. Sometime during the second year all children become clinging and afraid of strangers, relatives, and particularly doctors. A parent should always be nearby. People who stare a toddler in the eye at this stage or ask direct questions are particularly fearsome. This is an entirely normal stage, but relatives should be warned about it before a visit.