Think Accident Happened As Said?

[LaLa1923]

Hey, I know we are mandated reporters, but we do have to use caution when jumping to conclusions.

OP, we know you don't like GMA, and obviously with good cause, but I would be careful about get too excited about one head bump. It IS a nasty one, I'll admit, but it's still only one injury.

:hug: I hope your day has gotten better than when it started.

I was told we must report cases like these. I would, a report that turns out fine is great for everyone.

[Leanna]

The issue aside, I am a little astounded that someone posted a picture of someone else's child on here! I am assuming you did not have parental permission. I realize that you only posted part of her face/head, but I think even that is too much.

[nanglgrl]

My daughter had a bruise almost identical in size to that but it was a dark purple, almost black. I don't think it was that color originally but it turned colors quickly. She fell and hit her head on our sidewalk. It was a new sidewalk so it was still textured and rough feeling but she didn't get a scratch. It looked horrible, do bad I took her to the doctor because I feared a concussion. Luckily it happened in the front yard and neighbirs saw it because every time we went in public people looked at me like they were trying to decide if they should call CPS. It wasn't the only time she had a circular bruise on her forehead from falling on something that wasn't circular it was however the worst. She had a bruise on her forehead most of the time between when she started walking and three years. Oddly enough I had the same problem as a child and in most of my toddler pictures I had a circular bruise on my forehead, my mom and dad said I refused to put my hands out and would just fall forward!

[Play Care]

The issue aside, I am a little astounded that someone posted a picture of someone else's child on here! I am assuming you did not have parental permission. I realize that you only posted part of her face/head, but I think even that is too much.

My understanding is that most of the providers on here have signed photo release forms on file. Several providers have used the local news for good publicity, and were able to do so because of those forms
I guess I assumed that this provider is one that has this form on file.

[blandino]

The issue aside, I am a little astounded that someone posted a picture of someone else's child on here! I am assuming you did not have parental permission. I realize that you only posted part of her face/head, but I think even that is too much.

I don't think it's too much if it doesn't show the child's face. We have seen pictures of marks and rashes on here before. Unless the child can be identified in the picture, I don't think there is any harm.

[Michael]

The picture is of the child's forehead so I do not believe it should not be an issue. Does anyone have a better understanding of the law?

[Heidi]

I was told we must report cases like these. I would, a report that turns out fine is great for everyone.

I usually think like you, Lala, but this time, I respectfully disagree.

At no time in any of my training was I led to understand that I should report every injury to CPS. I was taught that there must be a suspicion of abuse, and to me, a single injury does not support a suspicion of abuse.

I would also not a agree that a report that turns out fine is fine for everyone. A false report could cost GMA and the family legal fees, time with their child, and a lot of hassle. It could cost the OP a childcare client, and the little girl stability. Just like when our dc parents get pissed off and make false accusations, just because they're false and proven "unsubstantiated" does not make it all go away.

If there are further incidents or other reasons to suspect abuse, then by all means, OP should call.

[Leanna]

I usually think like you, Lala, but this time, I respectfully disagree.

At no time in any of my training was I led to understand that I should report every injury to CPS. I was taught that there must be a suspicion of abuse, and to me, a single injury does not support a suspicion of abuse.

I would also not a agree that a report that turns out fine is fine for everyone. A false report could cost GMA and the family legal fees, time with their child, and a lot of hassle. It could cost the OP a childcare client, and the little girl stability. Just like when our dc parents get pissed off and make false accusations, just because they're false and proven "unsubstantiated" does not make it all go away.

If there are further incidents or other reasons to suspect abuse, then by all means, OP should call.

I agree. While one must always report suspected abuse, it is important to keep in mind that kids do get hurt. They do weird things, dangerous things, and don't have good judgement. Heck, we all know that kids get hurt doing normal things sometimes!
Also, a report, when not true and/or made without proper evidence, can deeply hurt a family, financially, emotionally, personally. It can affect their job etc. And even if it is found "unfounded" it still stays on record for many, many years. Whether we want to admit it or not, the system is deeply flawed. While no one should hesitate to report suspected abuse, everyone should be careful of reporting normal (or even freak) childhood booboos.

[Cat Herder]

My concern with the photo is retribution on the OP by family, not necessarily legal rights to the image being used.

Anyone who knows the kid will know who she is and that she is questioning the GMA's story in a national forum.

[Michael]

My concern with the photo is retribution on the OP by family, not necessarily legal rights to the image being used.

Anyone who knows the kid will know who she is and that she is questioning the GMA's story in a national forum.

Fair enough. I cropped the photo. Hope the OP doesn't mind.

[Cat Herder]

Fair enough. I cropped the photo. Hope the OP doesn't mind.

You rock.

[mrsnj]

That's fine. Thx. I got the answers I needed anyway

[Angelsj]

My daughter had a bruise almost identical in size to that but it was a dark purple, almost black. I don't think it was that color originally but it turned colors quickly. She fell and hit her head on our sidewalk. It was a new sidewalk so it was still textured and rough feeling but she didn't get a scratch. It looked horrible, do bad I took her to the doctor because I feared a concussion. Luckily it happened in the front yard and neighbirs saw it because every time we went in public people looked at me like they were trying to decide if they should call CPS. It wasn't the only time she had a circular bruise on her forehead from falling on something that wasn't circular it was however the worst. She had a bruise on her forehead most of the time between when she started walking and three years. Oddly enough I had the same problem as a child and in most of my toddler pictures I had a circular bruise on my forehead, my mom and dad said I refused to put my hands out and would just fall forward!

I have one that does that. He just doesn't put his hands out in front of him, and hits his head/face a LOT. Weird. Smart kid though. It would be an interesting poll.

[SSWonders]

My daughter fell out of a front door onto the cement step when she was young. Her face was scraped on her forehead, her cheek and her chin. That does not look like a injury from the story you are getting. That part of her forehead came in contact with something round and hard that did not hit any other part of her face. Not consistent with someone falling on their face.

[Cradle2crayons]

In my experience, this bruise and lump could have, in fact, happened just as grandma said.

I've seen lots of kids over my career fall and never out their arms out to stop themselves.

I've also seen kids with exact injuries like that from falling on concrete and brick.

If, however, grandma had said she fell say on gravel or driveway rocks, that would be very inconsistent with the bruise.

If it were me, and is were an isolated incident, I'd simply document. Document what mom said to me, grandma said to me, and what the child said in detail. Ask detailed questions so the answers have to be detailed.

If there becomes a pattern or you notice any behaviors that would make you suspicious coming from the child, then I would report it.

Kids are just klutzy. It's a miracle most of them survive until they become teenagers.

When my daughter was little, about 2 1/2 she was at my next door neighbors with her friend playing in the back yard. Both parents were over there supervising very closely.

I was in my backyard and I could see throug the chain link into their yard and see the kids. One was swinging and my daughter was climbing the few short steps up to the slide. It was a small swing set, just the older metal ones wi two swings and a slide.

She was giggling and she got to the top of the slide and went to turn and sit to go down the slide. For some reason, she lost her balance and fell off the slide, while she was still standing up. She landed on her head, on the grass, kind of like in a tuck position.

I walked over to give comfort, never thinking she had been seriously hurt. The mom said she though she heard a thunk suggesting my daughter had bumped her head in the pole of the swing set. My daughter was inconsolable as we walked back home. She was SCREAMING BLOODY MURDER.

And then she got lethargic and quiet. I checked her head again. No bumps, no scratches, NOTHING ON HER HEAD.

I rushed her to the ER. While we were in the room waiting on a doctor, she could finally get her breath and I asked her to point to where it hurt. She pointed to her CHEST. my mind raced as I replayed it in my head. Se never bumped her chest. I started panicking. The doc came and x rayed her head and chest (at my insistence).

Come to find out, she had BROKEN her sternum!!!! Her head was okay but I struggled to figure out how in the heck she broke her sternum!!

It was a nightmare for the next at least month. They sent us home with her still screaming bloody murder, telling me to give her ibuprofen for pain. That first night I called the on call pediatrician and held the phone to my daughters mouth while she screamed bloody murder. They called her in some narcotic meds but literally she could barely move for weeks. We had to put her back in diapers because getting in the toilet hurt too much. It was just HORRIBLE.

The neighbors of course felt horrible, although it was a freak accident. But I do know had I not seen it with my own eyes, it would have looked like a really horrific abuse case. It turned out, according to the doctors, while her head was hard, her sternum wasn't. I guess the steroids for asthma may have weakened her bones somewhat.

She's ten now and has never had any other weird freak injury. Healthy as a horse. But I'll never forget that incident. I can even remember the date it happened !!

My point is that while we are mandated reporters, that doesn't mean we report every injury. If there are other suspicious injuries and you have them documented OP and you feel strongly in your gut she is being abused, then by all means report it.

But try to step back and be objective. If grandma wasn't in the picture and mom had shown up and told yu the same story, would you have believed it??