Billy Bob's Ex: Baby Tragedy Mirrors Liam's Wife

16. This seems like a tragic accident. Baby's DO bump their head all the time, it's hard to tell if it's serious or not. It's not like she intentionally shook the baby. I think we should not judge her too harshly, it could happen to anyone.
Billy Bob shows NO interest in his daughter, what kind of father is that?? What a jerk. Could you imagine having a rich and famous Hollywood actor for a father and he has NOTHING to do with you?? Poor girl. I'm sure she has got to be affected terribly by her father's abandonment - we should leave her alone. Her sperm donor is famous, not her.

Posted at 12:41PM on Jun 1st 2009 by henrythecat

17. Local news here ran a story recently about a book that is out about medical myths, commonly called "wives' tales," that are even perpetuated sometimes by doctors when they either don't know anything else to tell people, or they simply don't want to argue with people and just want to let them think what they want to think when no harm is done by those thoughts.

One of those myths is that you must keep someone awake following a head injury to prevent them from going into a coma. According to this panel of doctors, that is a myth and serves no legitimate purpose. They said that if a person is going to go into a coma, it has nothing to do with whether they are asleep or not. People go into comas all of the time (and die) without ever having "gone to sleep." And keeping a person awake will not prevent it, or someone going to sleep will not cause it (or allow it).

They report this as akin to advice like not swimming immediately after eating, or going outside in the wet or cold leading to illness. (Only germs and bacteria cause illness, not weather.)

I know many of you will write back swearing that is what you are supposed to do, and give incidents where doctors told you specifically to keep your loved one alive, or where your loved one went "to sleep" and died. The point of the book was that well-meaning doctors DO tell people that even though they, themselves, know it means nothing, and that your loved one would have slipped into a coma and died anyway.

I'm just passing along information here.

Posted at 12:56PM on Jun 1st 2009 by Joan Short

18. Local news here ran a story recently about a book that is out about medical myths, commonly called "wives' tales," that are even
perpetuated sometimes by doctors when they either don't know anything else to tell people, or they simply don't want to argue with people and just want to let them think what they want to think when no harm is done by those thoughts.

One of those myths is that you must keep someone awake following a head injury to prevent them from going into a coma. According to this panel of doctors, that is a myth and serves no legitimate purpose. They said that if a person is going to go into a coma, it has nothing to do with whether they are asleep or not. People go into comas all of the time (and die) without ever having "gone to sleep." And keeping a person awake will not prevent it, or someone going to sleep will not cause it (or allow it).

They report this as akin to advice like not swimming immediately after eating, or going outside in the wet or cold leading to illness. (Only germs and bacteria cause illness, not weather.)

I know many of you will write back swearing that is what you are supposed to do, and give incidents where doctors told you
specifically to keep your loved one awake, or where your loved one went "to sleep" and died. The point of the book was that well-meaning doctors DO tell people that even though they, themselves, know it means nothing, and that your loved one would have slipped into a coma and died anyway.

I'm just passing along information here.

Posted at 1:00PM on Jun 1st 2009 by Joan Short

19.
Whether or not she meant to neglect the child is irrelevant. As the sitter, it was her responsibility to at the very least, keep the child awake and call the parents for advice.

Natasha Richardson was offered medical attention and she rejected it. This baby wasn't capable of rejecting medical attention (or articulating symptoms), and medical attention wasn't offered; the two cases aren't comparable.

Though I'm sure the young girl accused is upset about it, and never intended harm, she should be held responsible for her neglect, because that's exactly what it was.

Posted at 3:03PM on Jun 12th 2009 by ObstinateB

20. I feel very bad for this young woman.
It seems like it was an accident and that's the chance people take when they turn their kids over to someone else.
Of course, it happens to parents too.

Posted at 1:13PM on Jun 1st 2009 by Brett

21. How does a one year old fall out of a playpen? That seems odd right there.

Posted at 11:06PM on Jun 8th 2009 by anon

22. Billy Bob sounds like a totally uncaring creep of a father!

Guess Angelina was smart not have kids with such a jerk, whatever else one might be able to say about her.

Posted at 1:20PM on Jun 1st 2009 by Annie

23. well I'm thinking her babysitting days are over! lol

Posted at 1:22PM on Jun 1st 2009 by go to radar.com

24. My daughter fell and hit her face on the edge of the coffee table last night. Ironically as I was reading this story. She was hit directly between the eyes. I called the pediatrician and they told me that yes, I could let her go to sleep, but to check on her after an hour and wake her up. If she acted like she usually does when woken up, then she was fine. If she was more groggy than normal or wouldn't wake up to take her to the ER. Because she didn't black out during the fall was also a good thing. I got a second opinion and that doctor told me the same thing. What they told me to look out for was extreme dizziness, vomiting, seizures, and headache. My immediate reaction was to take her to the hospital.. and I just don't see how somebody can't even call the doctor or the parents of the child after a fall like that. I don't think it was intentional, but I do think it was neglect for not getting the child the proper care she needed.

Posted at 1:22PM on Jun 1st 2009 by Me

25. I know Amanda. She is a wonderful, caring person. She will be vendicated when all the facts are known. The press is going after her because of Billy Bob and that's not fair.

My child and my grandchildren have all suffered falls and other accidents as they were growing up. Not every fall or injury warrants an ambulance. There were no signs of distress after the fall. She didn't immediately let the baby go to sleep...the baby was playing and eating afterwards then eventually got sleepy, as all babies do.

Before you condem her, remember 'JUDGE NOT, LEST YE BE JUDGED.' It was a tragic accident that she will have to live with for the rest of her life. Give her a fair chance. Accidents happen. She would never intentionally hurt anyone, especially a child.

My deepest sympathy to the baby's family & loved ones.

Posted at 1:46PM on Jun 1st 2009 by sb

26. Joan Short, although I appreciate the attempt to post actual facts here (how novel), the reason people are told not to sleep after a head injury is so that you can monitor their condition, not because anybody thinks that sleep itself causes a coma. There are lots of documented cases where somebody goes into a coma, while sleeping, and people around them don't realize their condition has worsened, because they assume the person is just continuing to sleep while in fact they have taken a serious turn for the worst.

Posted at 1:50PM on Jun 1st 2009 by RobN

27. Sorry to say, but what happened to Natasha Richardson was cause to get her to neuro trauma center immediately. She had an epidural hematoma, which is an emergency. Survival depends on how fast she will be treated or whatever caused it.
This kid had a subdural hematoma. Symptoms can appear 24-48 hours later or 2 days to 2 weeks (depends on severity). If large, they will need surgery.

Not blaming Billy Bob's daughter cuz she might not have known. I just disagree with the not being in distress so don't call 911. They said something about the child having a bleeding tongue after the fall. Thats doesn't sound okay to me, but then again, she might not have known to call for help. In a epidural hematoma they lose consciouness, regain it, look okay, and then deteriorate in consciouness. I read somewhere about Natasha developing a headache later after her fall, and thats why they took her to the ambulance. My instructor told us about a teen who had a epidural hematoma and was saved within a few minutes of being treated. I'm sure if the head injury was serious, they usually have some kind of symptoms afterwards. The child was only 1 so he/she didn't know to say something is wrong so they don't appear in distress.

Posted at 1:58PM on Jun 1st 2009 by bnrnp

28. That baby should have been taken to the hospital after she/he fell out of that play pen.

Posted at 2:53PM on Jun 1st 2009 by Sugar Cookie

29. Let's see. The child fell out of the playpen and her tongue was bleeding. Nope, it's not her child so no emergency here.

Posted at 2:58PM on Jun 1st 2009 by Paula

30. Whatever happened, I can't imagine my father making the kind of quote Billy Bob did. He is an ass and I doubt he knows the full story.

Posted at 3:00PM on Jun 1st 2009 by M