Children Getting Hurt In Your Care

[JeepGirl6]

So I have been doing my in home child care for a little over 2 years and have not had one child get hurt with a bruise/scratch or anything...until the past two weeks with the same child.

Last week the little boy (17 months) fell and hit his eye on a toy that left him with a very reddish/purplish eyelid...I felt horrible!!!

Well today right before pick up, one of the little girls that I care for went to grab her blanket and that little boy went and pulled at her blanket so the girl tugged it back real hard making the little boy off balance and hit his head and nose on the corner of the bookshelf...leaving a quite large black and blue bump on his forehead and one nostril red/bloody.I put ice and a cold wash cloth on both his head and nose.

I almost started crying when telling the father what happened at pick up...I felt so bad that he got hurt two weeks in a row and both accidents were pretty bad...The father seemed a little upset today...I told him I don't want them upset with me but It was nothing I could prevent or get to in time to stop it.

I am afraid the parents will take him out...because of him getting hurt. I understand these things happen...just I have been so cautious and so on top of things that the children don't get hurt and what do you know the same little boy does two weeks in a row...

I just hate that he got hurt and having people upset with me...Anyone have the same issue before?

[daycare]

I think that it is always a little upsetting at first... especially when another child caused the injury. When they just fall and get hurt, its a little different.

I have had this happen, lucky for me it has been just falling or self inflicted.

I would not stress. Some times things happen out of our control and I think that the parents realize that children are going to get bumps and bruises, its part of life.

have a nice tall glass of wine and relax, I don't think that an understanding parent woud pull their child out of care for something so small like this.... if they do, then maybe they are not meant for your childcare.

[JenNJ]

At that age, a lots of unintentional accidents happen. It is not your fault and I understand feeling horrible.

Is there a way you can childproof the rooms better to help?

[kidkair]

My kids are constantly getting hurt tripping over there own two feet. It happens to kids particularly when they are growing in verbal and thinking skills because their brains are not focused on paying attention to the physical as much. I have one kid right now that has fallen and bruised here and at home daily for 2 weeks straight. Another kid has bruises up and down his legs from tumbling on the snow/ice mounds.

[My Lil' Monkeys]

My son at that age got hurt ALL the time. The smallest thing would throw his balance off and he would hit his head in the corner of everything!! His first year pictures he had a massive bruise in the middle of his forehead because of a fall he had taken days before into a door frame.. while we where at the picture studio he fell into the corner of the lego table and had another bruise... I told my doc I was going to put a helmet on him so.. accidents happen.. nothing we can control and my house is really baby proofed. Don't feel bad, I'm sure they understand and they're not going to pull him from your care. Have a better tomorrow

[JeepGirl6]

I told the father to have his wife text my later in the evening to let me know how her son was doing because I was worried about the bruise and his nose...She just texted me saying he was "Doing Okay" I texted her back saying Thank you for letting me know, I feel so bad and then she wrote Yes, we weren't very happy seeing it. We know it wasn't intentional....

I feel like they are still upset with me...I wasn't happy that it happen either but I don't want them to be upset with me where their is nothing I could have done to prevent it....

[daycare]

If I had moved my kids when they were in daycare ( now 13 and 15 years old) every time they got hurt, I would have had to quit my job and stayed home. Its part of kids growing up.

As a parent, I look to see if my child is being taken care of in the following ways:
they are loved, listened to, fed, given shelter, hugged, sang to, read to, and are able to express themself in a good envirinment.

I think that most parents are understanding that this is all part of childhood, I would however, keep an extra eye on the little guy, since it was just last week that he had an accident...... However, don't let them being upset get to you. It's only natural for a parent to react that way when their child gets hurt.

[ninosqueridos]

she wrote Yes, we weren't very happy seeing it. We know it wasn't intentional....

Sorry she had to stick that in there about them not being happy seeing it....that would have hurt me, too considering you couldn't have prevented it.

[Unregistered]

prevent it.

Don't let him get hurt again.

If the table has a hard corner, move it. Keep him in arms reach.

Let the parents know what you have done to make your space safer.

Be completely upfront and honest about what happens every time, and make a duplicate ouch report.

If he is walking, toddling, give him a safe place to fall. remove obstacles, scour your house for sharp edges, flower pots....imagine every hurt kid scenario - And Prevent It.

Its what we do.

[Cat Herder]

Don't let him get hurt again.

If the table has a hard corner, move it. Keep him in arms reach.

Let the parents know what you have done to make your space safer.

Be completely upfront and honest about what happens every time, and make a duplicate ouch report.

If he is walking, toddling, give him a safe place to fall. remove obstacles, scour your house for sharp edges, flower pots....imagine every hurt kid scenario - And Prevent It.

Its what we do.

This is actually dead on. Nobody is perfect, but we have to try

Crawl around at their eye level and look around often...especially if you cannot separate them out of you family space.

Good luck, hun...sounds like you have a little "Murphy"... it takes alot of effort to keep up with one of those....::

[Unregistered]

Um...YUP!!!

Same exact thing....17 month old...always BOLTING across the floor. He's VERY fair skinned...he hit his head two weeks in a row for a black & blue on both sides of his head. I felt like a horrible lepper and I felt like my good name & record were ruined (although he's obviously had this problem before since he has a scar from stitches on his eye). I documented it and felt horrible forever about it, BUT it does happen. My other DCB got stitches one week and a black eye the next.....FROM HOME!!!! I hate to say it, but that made me feel a little bit better about myself. ;-)

[sahm1225]

Don't let him get hurt again.

If the table has a hard corner, move it. Keep him in arms reach.

Let the parents know what you have done to make your space safer.

Be completely upfront and honest about what happens every time, and make a duplicate ouch report.

If he is walking, toddling, give him a safe place to fall. remove obstacles, scour your house for sharp edges, flower pots....imagine every hurt kid scenario - And Prevent It.

Its what we do.

I agree with moving things and making things child proof, but I disagree with 'prevent it' and 'keep him at arms reach'. Kids WILL get hurt. It's a fact of life. When they are learning to walk, they will fall. They trip over their own two feet, trip over each other, etc. I have a little one that came one day with a HUGE bump on his forehead. He was walking and literally walked into the wall.

..... ps. the 'flower pot' was something I never thought of moving. It was out of the way and in the same location for 2+ yrs. Last week one of my DCBs fell and lost his tooth on it. It has been moved and I have gone through and walked my house again to make sure it is as childproof as I can make it. BUT just today one of the little ones tripped over his own shoes walking into the my house (with his parents) and bumped his head on the hardwood floor. Some accidents CANT be avoided.

Im sorry the parents made that comment <<Hugs>> but just think of it as a parent we never want to see our children get hurt.

[mac60]

This is exactly why for those that are under 2 play in an enclosed play area, with no access to the bigger kids. It is the best way I can keep them separated, yet together.

I remember when my own kids went to a daycare center years ago, they had a corner of the room gated off, and that is where the under 18 mo ones played. 99% kid safe. No chance of an older child hurting them.

Sorry you are dealing with this.

[youretooloud]

I agree with moving things and making things child proof, but I disagree with 'prevent it' and 'keep him at arms reach'. Kids WILL get hurt. It's a fact of life.

I agree with this. I let kids learn the hard way to a certain degree. Some accidents can't be avoided, and frankly shouldn't be avoided. We are helping kids learn about the world, and how things work. We are not supposed to bubble wrap their heads and treat them like idiots.

By hovering and shadowing a child, we do a lot more damage than a few bumps on the head. Kids are not meant to be micromanaged.

[Scout]

A few weeks in my DS and DCB were playing in the water in the bathroom. I sent them in to wash hands and didn't think anything of it. Well, DCB slipped in the water and got a bloody nose! I was so impressed with the fact that I did not freak out but, worried that mom would pull him out. When I told her what happened she just asked him why he was playing in the water! I wouldn't worry about it too much. He is bound to be hurt on their watch too! All you can do is provide comfort and first aid until the parent can be there!:hug: