Injury that Requires Medical Attention

[happymom]

I'm trying to get some input on how to handle an incident that (in my opinion) should have never happened. My 3 year old son was picked up by an older boy and dropped on the asphalt on his head. My husband was already on his way to pick him up with the incident happened as it was the end of the day, he was covered in blood, very drousy and out of it, and required a few stitches in his forehead. No concussion, but that was my biggest concern.

I realize an accident like this can happen at any time, but at this time my child was on the playground along with an older group of kids. It was a child from their after school program (grade school) that picked up my son. They are not supposed to be on the playgroud together. My little guy is off the charts small, about a head shorter than the other kids, and he is picked up frequently by the other kids (him and I have talked about it on several occasions). The same thing happened to me when I was a kid and I hated it. I don't know. I like his school and he's only been there a short while, but I feel like this accident was very avoidable.

I spoke with the director this morning. She was there last night but gone by the time we finished getting medical attention. Everyone has apologized profusely and says they think that the other kids learned from the incident and won't pick him up anymore. I'm not sure what more she could have said or what I expect. I don't want to cause a big stink and get mad over something that's in the past, but what if there's a real problem? I keep being told that the big kids were lining up to leave the playground and the little kids had just come out and they are not supposed to be on the playground together. This does not align in my head because several times at pick up my son is on the playground with the kindergarteners/first graders....so why is it happening frequently if it's against their policy?


Also, I assume the medical bills are all mine or does the daycare have some liability? I really don't like causing a stink but I am starting to wonder if it's in my best interest to move him

[Blackcat31]

I'm trying to get some input on how to handle an incident that (in my opinion) should have never happened. My 3 year old son was picked up by an older boy and dropped on the asphalt on his head. My husband was already on his way to pick him up with the incident happened as it was the end of the day, he was covered in blood, very drousy and out of it, and required a few stitches in his forehead. No concussion, but that was my biggest concern.

I realize an accident like this can happen at any time, but at this time my child was on the playground along with an older group of kids. It was a child from their after school program (grade school) that picked up my son. They are not supposed to be on the playgroud together. My little guy is off the charts small, about a head shorter than the other kids, and he is picked up frequently by the other kids (him and I have talked about it on several occasions). The same thing happened to me when I was a kid and I hated it. I don't know. I like his school and he's only been there a short while, but I feel like this accident was very avoidable.

I spoke with the director this morning. She was there last night but gone by the time we finished getting medical attention. Everyone has apologized profusely and says they think that the other kids learned from the incident and won't pick him up anymore. I'm not sure what more she could have said or what I expect. I don't want to cause a big stink and get mad over something that's in the past, but what if there's a real problem? I keep being told that the big kids were lining up to leave the playground and the little kids had just come out and they are not supposed to be on the playground together. This does not align in my head because several times at pick up my son is on the playground with the kindergarteners/first graders....so why is it happening frequently if it's against their policy?


Also, I assume the medical bills are all mine or does the daycare have some liability? I really don't like causing a stink but I am starting to wonder if it's in my best interest to move him

I would feel exactly as you do and would insist on a written plan of action that clearly state the rules for the play ground

The older kids should NOT be on the playground with the others at all if that is the rule. If it's not, then the older kids should NEVER EVER be allowed to physically touch a younger child much less pick one up in the manner in which you described.

I would honestly be livid....

As for the medical bills....no not your responsibility. It is theirs as the liability falls on them and they failed to keep your child safe as promised according to their policies.

In my state ANY incident that requires medical attention must be reported to the state licensing agency.

[Play Care]

I would feel exactly as you do and would insist on a written plan of action that clearly state the rules for the play ground

The older kids should NOT be on the playground with the others at all if that is the rule. If it's not, then the older kids should NEVER EVER be allowed to physically touch a younger child much less pick one up in the manner in which you described.

I would honestly be livid....

As for the medical bills....no not your responsibility. It is theirs as the liability falls on them and they failed to keep your child safe as promised according to their policies.

In my state ANY incident that requires medical attention must be reported to the state licensing agency.

I would also be livid. You say they already had issues with your child being picked up, so they should have been more aware.

I actually gained a client once from a very reputable dc because the provider just did not see why she should stop the boys from similar behaviors (picking each other up, play wrestling, etc) and her child kept coming home covered in bruises. Turns out the provider was letting the bigger SA kids play with the littler preschoolers

[happymom]

Would anyone know if it is a state mandated guideline that the older and younger children can not be on the playground together? I am in the greater Salt Lake City of Utah.

Honestly I don't see much of a problem with him playing with bigger kids (he came from a home daycare where he was with kids ages 3mo-5years but there were only 4-8 kids at a time). BUT if it is a rule, it is clearly being broken and it wasn't a one time thing. It concerns me because then where is the line drawn? Is it really going to stop now that my son has been injured? I have witnessed adults tell bigger kids not to pick up my son before, I know they are expected not to lift him -- I'm not sure if the same attention is given to the situation when I am not on the playground picking him up.

Do I just bring the medical bill to the daycare and give it to them?

Is reporting to the state licensing agency something that I need to do or something that the daycare is responsible for?

I will get their playground policies in writing so that if I see the two groups on the playground together at the same time again I can address it right then and there.

[Blackcat31]

Would anyone know if it is a state mandated guideline that the older and younger children can not be on the playground together? I am in the greater Salt Lake City of Utah.

Honestly I don't see much of a problem with him playing with bigger kids (he came from a home daycare where he was with kids ages 3mo-5years but there were only 4-8 kids at a time). BUT if it is a rule, it is clearly being broken and it wasn't a one time thing. It concerns me because then where is the line drawn? Is it really going to stop now that my son has been injured? I have witnessed adults tell bigger kids not to pick up my son before, I know they are expected not to lift him -- I'm not sure if the same attention is given to the situation when I am not on the playground picking him up.

Do I just bring the medical bill to the daycare and give it to them?

Is reporting to the state licensing agency something that I need to do or something that the daycare is responsible for?

I will get their playground policies in writing so that if I see the two groups on the playground together at the same time again I can address it right then and there.

Here are the guidelines for Utah. You'll have to read through the center ones to find out the rules on supervision in the play ground.

https://www.daycare.com/utah/

As for the medical bills, I would just ask the director where you should send them. You can also let your medical insurance billing dept or ER billing department know that this injury happened at daycare and you could request they sent the billing there. I don't know how your ER/hospital billing dept does their billing but that is what parents do here in my state.

As for the licensing report for injuries, you can request a copy of what was sent to the state (if your state has that rule).


Hoping your son is feeling better... :hug:

[Thriftylady]

I would ask them for a written playground policy. I would also ask for a written plan of action. In my home daycare, I have mixed ages but I do not allow anyone but me (or my husband on the rare chance he is home and I need help) to pick up the children. Children are NEVER to pick up children in my daycare because of this very reason.

I might call licensing and ask if there is anything you need to do. I would also write up a letter to the center telling them that I will be asking them to pay the medical bills, and you will submit them as soon as treatment is over. They should have insurance for this.

[happymom]

Thank you for all of your advice!

The director is going to call me this afternoon so we can discuss it more. I learned the woman I talked to yesterday whom I thought was the director actually was just the lead on staff at the time of the incident.

It's nice to kind of know how these things work. I signed an "ouch report" yesterday (and also got a copy of it) that states another child had picked up my son. I clairfied that it was an older child from another class and I think that the report needs to state that, but I'm finding out how to handle the medical bills.

At first I just thought that he's my kid, I need to pay, so thanks for potentially saving me a few hundred dollars

[happymom]

After he got his stitches he came home and went to sleep and woke around 10pm in a very good mood.

This morning he says it feels better. Yesterday all he would tell me is that "it is very very hurting" he doesn't like his bandage changed or cleaned but in the grand scheme of things he's going to be just fine

[MarinaVanessa]

Definetely I agree with everything that everyone has already said. Ask for the written playground policies and ask for a written plan of action that covers how they will make sure this doesn't happen again.

I was reading the part where OP mentions that the older kids are not supposed to be on the playground with the younger ones and how she has been told that the little ones came out while the older ones were lining up to go in etc. so it sounds as if that's their way of trying to make sure that the two groups are separated but that system failed. Seems to me like either the older kids need to start being lined up 5 minutes earlier or the younger ones need to be brought out 5 minutes later so that the older kids can be completely off of the playground by the time the younger ones get on it.

In either case I'd ask the director to pay for the medical expenses. In some cases like at schools and daycare centers parents sign waivers that say that the parents are responsible for medical costs if their child gets hurt BUT even if in your case you signed a form like this I would think that it doesn't apply since this was not normal play and your child was picked up by another child. Hopefully they have a written playground play policy but they might not.

[happymom]

I will let you know what I find out. I'm a little annoyed that I haven't been able to get more information as of yet. I spoke with the assistant director 3 hours ago and she told me the director will be calling me and I have yet to receive that call.

Not sure what standard procedure is, I feel like an idiot I didn't even know who the director of the center was until this happened.

[Thriftylady]

It is possible that they are waiting to talk to their legal rep. first.

[MarinaVanessa]

It is possible that they are waiting to talk to their legal rep. first.

This is what I was thinking also.

[daycarediva]

I have a home daycare and mixed ages- my bigs are NEVER EVER allowed to pick up anyone-ever. It is immediately stopped from happening. I have a tuy guy in my care, former micropreemie who is 5 and is the size of a small 3 year old. EVERYONE wants to pick him up. I have NEVER had a child disobey me on it though, and with diligent supervision, the rule has never had to be repeated.

I would forward medical bills to the director, and get their policies in writing. Absolutely preventable and avoidable.

[happymom]

I have a home daycare and mixed ages- my bigs are NEVER EVER allowed to pick up anyone-ever. It is immediately stopped from happening. I have a tuy guy in my care, former micropreemie who is 5 and is the size of a small 3 year old. EVERYONE wants to pick him up. I have NEVER had a child disobey me on it though, and with diligent supervision, the rule has never had to be repeated.

I would forward medical bills to the director, and get their policies in writing. Absolutely preventable and avoidable.

Thank you. My son is the average weight of a 16 month old. I totally can understand how it is enticing for kids in his own class as well as the 5-6 year old class to pick him up, but it is not acceptable. It was never a problem in his previous daycare because of the discipline you describe above.

I'm hoping I get answers soon. I want to be nice and understanding, but I am not super happy that it happened.

[happymom]

Update: I learned from a staff member that the child involved in the accident has autism. It makes more sense because when I spoke with my 3 year old regarding the incident he told me that the boy was "mean" and didn't say he was sorry. The staff member told me after it happened and my boy was on the ground being attended to the older child ran away and his behind a door inside the building. It is breaking my heart that it happened.

My stress level is just through the roof right now and my husband wants to call a lawyer if we don't get a phone call from the director today. It has been two days, I am feeling shocked. Even my old DKP reached out to make sure he was okay, I miss her like crazy.

My little guy is just fine though, he probably didn't need any stitches - he would have healed just fine but I had to take him in to rule out concussion because of the way he was acting.