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Original poster

Unexplained bruises on toddlers ear

35 replies

Bruises111 · 26/04/2022 20:05

Please can someone tell me what they think would cause bruises like this on my toddlers ear? He is too young to speak and I am very concerned!

He has only been in the company of his parents and his nursery since these bruises developed. Nursery have said they know nothing about them, yet there is no way he could have bruised himself to this extent at home without crying and making himself noticed by his parents?!

What are these marks please??!

((This is a new nursery where his whole character has changed since starting - sad, won’t let me out his sight, lack of confidence and nightmares.))

OP posts:
AnyFucker · 26/04/2022 20:08

Those bruises are a red flag for physical abuse. Please take him to see your gp ASAP.

CaledonianSleeper · 26/04/2022 20:09

Could it be bite marks?
I have to say the changes you’ve noticed in his behaviours since he started at the nursery would be enough to be seriously questioning whether it’s the correct setting for him, even without the ear bruising.

Original poster
Bruises111 · 26/04/2022 20:11

FYI - I have taken toddler out of this nursery for good, with immediate affect.

This post is to pinpoint other peoples opinions on what I’m actually looking at here as my mind is all over the place.

OP posts:

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siriusblackcat · 26/04/2022 20:15

Those are definitely non accidental injuries, I would be looking to take this further.
Did they appear after nursery?

LemonDrag · 26/04/2022 20:17

I wonder if another child is bullying him. I’m so sorry OP. This sounds really hard. I hope you get to the bottom of it. Speak to GP, submit a formal complaint to nursery and your local authority if council run.

2pinkginsplease · 26/04/2022 20:17

While doing a safeguarding course the ears were a place to look out for bruising due to pinching, nipping and being hit. These are areas that don’t normally get bruised. Bruising on the ear is a sign of physical abuse.

id be pushing the nursery for further investigation, this is not normal.

Original poster
Bruises111 · 26/04/2022 20:20

Are we thinking these were made by an adult or a child? My mind is saying


  1. another child and the teachers weren’t paying close enough attention. (Bite marks maybe?!)

  2. one of the teachers.


I am absolutely certain this has happened in the nursery setting. I cannot understand how this could’ve happened from an ‘accidental fall’ (a fall onto an ear?!)

OP posts:
buckleten · 26/04/2022 20:21

I think these look like bite marks from another child!

siriusblackcat · 26/04/2022 20:23

Bruises111 · 26/04/2022 20:20

Are we thinking these were made by an adult or a child? My mind is saying


  1. another child and the teachers weren’t paying close enough attention. (Bite marks maybe?!)

  2. one of the teachers.


I am absolutely certain this has happened in the nursery setting. I cannot understand how this could’ve happened from an ‘accidental fall’ (a fall onto an ear?!)

It looks like they've been pinched or pulled. Could be by a child or adult, obviously my concern would be an adult.

Eupraxia · 26/04/2022 20:26

You don't need to investigate.

This will be a joint police and social care matter. I'd suggest you start with the police. They have professionally qualified staff who can talk/play with your child to work out what might have happened. Don't you try to investigate yourself, you could jeopardise a prosecution case.

TheDaydreamBelievers · 26/04/2022 20:26

Potential physical abuse. Keep photos. Contact GP to document . Contact social work to report asap. If you ask your son anything, keep Q's open and write down exactly what you asked and what he said

Nelliephant1 · 26/04/2022 20:26

My son had those bruises a good few times as a toddler. He used to misjudge coming round corners and bang into the edge of the door or door surround. It was always his ear that got it!

AnyFucker · 26/04/2022 20:27

It could also be someone from within the family. I would not be jumping to immediate conclusions about nursery.

Nelliephant1 · 26/04/2022 20:28

Good grief at these replies!!!

I've been trained in safeguarding and worked in child protection in social work, not everything is NAI!!

AnyFucker · 26/04/2022 20:31

This pattern of bruising is a red flag for NAI. Being trained in safeguarding, you should know that.

Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t. But it certainly should not be ignored.

ladydimitrescu · 26/04/2022 20:31

My son had marks identical to those when he fell out of bed and hit his ear on the side of the bedside table, could it be anything like that?

ThisMustBeMyDream · 26/04/2022 20:32

My son bruised the back of his ear lobe a couple of years back. He
His was accidental. He hit his ear crawling under the electric recliner sofa. Caught it on the metal underside.
Yes they are the red flag bruises for safeguarding, but they can be caused in other ways.
Just allow safeguarding to do their investigations but be aware you will be under the spotlight too (and probably your parents too).
It will be a tough time for you but it is definitely the right thing to do to remove him. He clearly isn't happy there regardless of anything else.

ladydimitrescu · 26/04/2022 20:32

They look nothing like bite marks and much more likely he's banged his ear on something.

JaniceBattersby · 26/04/2022 20:32

Nelliephant1 · 26/04/2022 20:26

My son had those bruises a good few times as a toddler. He used to misjudge coming round corners and bang into the edge of the door or door surround. It was always his ear that got it!

I was coming to say exactly the same thing. My four kids have sometimes had bruises like this from either running into door frames, the edge of an open door or coffee tables. I certainly wouldn’t automatically assume it been caused deliberately.

Sebastianthecoo · 26/04/2022 20:37

Is it both ears? My son banged his head badly on the table once and had a bruise on his ear. Multiple bruises both ears would absolutely be a red flag. I’d call the NSPCC now, in all honesty (and I would never say this lightly) if these are new bruises on both ears I’d take him to A&E, it’s an unexplained head injury.

it’s not for you to investigate, but someone needs to.

Original poster
Bruises111 · 26/04/2022 20:37

My son can’t talk yet, he has shown me from his change in character that there is a problem with the nursery (which I have now taken him out of) so speaking to him and writing down answers isn’t an option here.

As for who he has been around since the bruising - it is as straight forward as nursery, mum and dad. We all live together in a very secure and happy family unit.

I have spoken to the nursery and they were totally dismissive saying it did not happen there, the nursery manager asked the teachers in on that particular day and told me no one saw any bruises on my son (well… I’m not surprised because bruises don’t appear straight away right?!) and that was the end of the conversation with them.

Wish I knew what the bruises were from! There seems to be marks inside the ear too?!

OP posts:
Isaidno22 · 26/04/2022 20:38

It could also be from an insect bite or sting. The reaction to nursery could be totally unrelated. There is a child in my childs Reception class who still gets upset at going to school 8 months on from starting. Some take longer to settle.

AnyFucker · 26/04/2022 20:40

The change in behaviour is not necessarily due to the nursery.

CPHB2021 · 26/04/2022 20:41

So sorry you're feeling stressed OP. Just a side note- my daughter has a very similar bruise to the first image. This was from her throwing her head back and hitting the chair she was on. I know this as I was sitting directly next to her. The bruise is almost identical. The second image does look concerning though. Hope your lovely boy is back to his usual self soon and you find a setting that you fully trust and he is happy at. X

Stormyinacoffeemug · 26/04/2022 20:43

In my experience, that appears similar to injuries I've seen after a knock to the ear. A collision with a low table, door or object on the floor. This could be as a result of a fall or during play. The fall could be loss of balance, falling off a push along toy/bike, being knocked into or a deliberate push. During play could be misjudging the furniture/doorframes, being hit with an object, hitting self with an object (eg. pulling a toy away from a peer), rolling onto an object or during risky play outdoors.

It could have been a nip but my instinct is one of the above, not all of which are deliberate. Either way, I would be concerned they knew nothing about it, chances are low of a child not experiencing pain in that area even during exciting play when they may be distracted.

Hope that helps.

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