Scary Thought!!!!

[Hazel]

Years ago I had a very fussy 6 month old. Cried a lot and loudly...

One day we were all doing some art, and I had her in the excersaucer near me "watching", which really was crying loudly in everyone's ears. But, I kept talking to her periodically in between, and she seemed no worse than usual.

A couple of the children decided they would try to "help", and walked (or toddled) over to console her, offer her toys. She screamed louder.

I said "Hey, guys..xx doesn't like it when we crowd her, lets give her some space".

We finished our art project, had lunch, changed diapers, layed down for nap..you know, the usual. I even changed her shirt because there was baby food on the collar and mom was a bit finicky about that sort of thing.

The next day, she was off, but my licenser showed up...

Turns out, that at some point during the time I was sitting there, someone BIT HER ARM.

The mom had taken pictures and everything, and the licenser had them with her. I explained the whole story as best I could, and they did NOT site me. Because, they could not prove that it had happened at daycare. I still assume it did, because I don't think MOM bit her, but to this day (15 years later), still can't tell you how.

Sometimes things do happen.

Strangely enough, I didn't have a "biter" in the group, and no one else in long memory was bitten before or after that. All I know for sure is that I did not bite her...

:confused::confused::confused::confused:

Wow! I'm glad nothing happened to you with that! Serously, biting can happen.. For it to be the first time and go right over your head like that? Ouch! I had a biter and it's aweful! Thank goodness her target had very awesome parents! (it's actually the cousin of the baby mentioned in here! How ironic!) and they completely understood that as long as I was being proactive then it was all good. The mom of the biter was very proactive as well and after a few weeks we were past it all. Thank goodness she never broke skin or even left a bruise.

[Hazel]

A DCP of mine is a nurse practictioner and I relayed this scenario to her. HSe brought up a good point or possibilty....perhaps the child was injured inadvertantly at daycare and didn't cry much or indicate in any way they were hurt but when dad too the baby home and perhaps changed her or moved her in a certain way the fracture or break became worse.

She said young children have a super high tolerance for pain and especially in situation where something is broken, they tend to go into shock and not necessarily scream but simply become quiet, reserved and not really themselves.

She cited a case of an 18 month old who had fallen off the top bunk bed of his brothers and didn't seem badly injured at all. 3 days later at a well child check, she noticed he was kind of "flinching" when she touched a certain part of his leg. Turns out he had fractured his shin bone and even though he had been walking on it, no one really noticed him acting any different.

So stranger things have happened.

I have a pediatric physicians assistant mom here (I've had her 18 month old since she was 7 weeks!) but due to privacy issues, I can't talk to her about it! I would love her take on it as well. I wish I could share your info with her, but I don't know if she would like that I talked to anyone about it. Anomously or not...

[sharlan]

That's a provider's worst nightmare. I don't know what I would do.

[Crystal]

I don't think any assumptions should be made about the parents, or the daycare provider.

That being siad, the injury could have happened any time, any where. Several years ago, I was involved in a motorcycle accident. After a couple of months, I started having severe pain in my leg. I had fractured it in 3 places, and had no idea until I had been walking around on it and weakening it more....until it finally started hurting. SO, it is possible that the child was injured, that day, or even days prior. In my case, I NEVER had any swelling, or any other indication that I had a fracture for a couple of months.......

OP, I would guage this based on your gut feeling with the parents.....do they seem sincere? Do they seem wishy-washy? Do they seem like they are trying to put it off on the provider?

Personally, I would try it on a trial basis and see how it goes.

[sharlan]

I don't think any assumptions should be made about the parents, or the daycare provider.

That being siad, the injury could have happened any time, any where. Several years ago, I was involved in a motorcycle accident. After a couple of months, I started having severe pain in my leg. I had fractured it in 3 places, and had no idea until I had been walking around on it and weakening it more....until it finally started hurting. SO, it is possible that the child was injured, that day, or even days prior. In my case, I NEVER had any swelling, or any other indication that I had a fracture for a couple of months.......

OP, I would guage this based on your gut feeling with the parents.....do they seem sincere? Do they seem wishy-washy? Do they seem like they are trying to put it off on the provider?

Personally, I would try it on a trial basis and see how it goes.

I had x-rays taken of both feet/ankles before surgery at 16. The dr asked my dad when I had broken both ankles. My dad said never. Dr showed him where both of my ankles had been broke and healed.

[crazydaycarelady]

Yikes - sticky situation! If the dad was neglectful (like not changing her diaper all night) then it is possible he didn't see the leg, but wouldn't the baby have been screaming her head off if it happened hours earlier, especially if the dcd was "bicycling" the legs??

I don't understand wy you would stop taking babies because of liability. Accidents happen and not always to babies. I think the likelyhood of an accident is greater with an older child. My ds has broken his arm/leg three different times and they were always when he was doing some regualr thing, like playing tag, or he broke his leg playing dodgeball in gym class. Accidents happen everywhere.

[countrymom]

also, I want to mention, that depending on the type of break a dr can tell somewhat what may have occured. also exactly where was it broken, was it the thigh bone, the ankle.

[Hazel]

also, I want to mention, that depending on the type of break a dr can tell somewhat what may have occured. also exactly where was it broken, was it the thigh bone, the ankle.

From what I was told... It was her lower leg (shin), broken straight through. Mom told me that the doctor gave a couple scenarios as to what could have possibly happened.
1) she was dropped
2) person carrying her tripped and fell on her or again, dropped her
3) someone fell ontop of her, jumped on her or even just stepped on her.. Maybe while on the blanket on the floor.

Of course this is only 3 possibilities of what could have happened...
But when she said they were bicycling her legs for possible gas issue, that's so scary bc if it was already broken, how much that must have hurt!