To be concerned about a bruise on my son?

[Someonehelpmi]

I have no idea what to do about this or even if I should post here but I really need an outsiders views!

My son is under 3 months and obviously non mobile. I collected him from his dad's house after an overnight stay and as I was changing I noticed a blue/pink dotty bruise on the inside of his neck, I mentioned it and he got very upset that I was insinuating he had done something (fair enough anyone would be) so I just put it down to the car seatbelt running him. HOWEVER once km the car I noticed more little bruises and marks all across his chest and the top of one armpit. I am not questioning everything I know and everyone. Obviously it's horrifying that someone would think you had purposely harmed a small child but babies don't really bruise that easily or to that extent? I mean I've given him a firm pat on the back to wind him and never had that. Even if it's accidental it's worrying? His dad has now come back to me saying he did notice it...

Basically I need an opinion, should I take him to the doctors or leave it? He is otherwise well, drinking alot weeing and pooing. Even by thinking about hiding it i feel like that already makes me look like I have something to hide. However I'm sure it's pretty much guaranteed if I take an infant that small with non accidental injuries to the GP I'm guaranteed to be put on a list and have possible SS involvement. Am I overreacting?? I feel like a horrible parent that I'm even in this position. He didn't have a scratch on him when I left him with his dad but now I'm just questioning everything . I also don't want to insinuate that is father would purposefully harm him as he has always adored him and cared for him well. Help please

social worker here, echoing others that it is important to see a medical professional - your DS should be referred for an immediate paediatric assessment to rule out non-accidental injury or any underlying medical issues.

Sorry, Not read whole thread, cos on phone, so probably repeating others but IMHO I would take photos of his whole body (without nappy) showing the bruises that are there now so that if more appear you will notice them

Please take to A&E

Thank you all for your advice, sorry I have been so slow in replying, it's possibly one of the worst situations I've had to deal with in my life as I was in the care system as a child so I have been terrified they will just see that and see me as unstable or just repeating the cycle. Not the case I now have a loving supportive family, had a reasonably good job etc etc. Don't want to go into too much detail about why I jumped to abuse, just that I know his father has not bathed himself in glory regarding things he has done in the not so distant past (drunk and disorderly/violence etc). I guess I just worry they will put together a picture that will look like the child is at risk. He will not be staying with his father overnight again. I have a GP appointment first thing tomorrow so we will find out more then. I know what my instinct is telling me, it makes me feel physically sick and I feel like I've let my son down massively. I can only take comfort in the fact he will not remember anything, he has been perfectly happy/smiling funny baby today.

You poor thing and your poor LO too. Try not to worry you are doing the right thing and am sure your GP will advise you. Glad you have a good supportive family around you.

A pattern of small Dotty bruises sounds medical to me, OP. I would have gone to A and E. My DS had pettechiae (bloodspots under the skin) and bruising last year; it turned out to be a blood platelets problem called ITP. Whilst being mindful of abuse as a possibility, I would definitely consider medical causes too.

Good luck tomorrow OP

Good luck at the GP, you're doing the right thing by your baby by taking him. No one can criticise you for being cautious and getting a doctors opinion.

Good luck

I hope everything is ok OP. I’m not sure what size the dotty bruises are but fingertip pressure can look like biggish dots.

I am familiar with a case where a 16 week old baby was sent to hospital with a tiny bruise on the cheek. She had 16 separate fractures

for you

Ds1, at a week old had a bruise. I noticed it and mentioned it to the nurse who had come to do a home visit. We had to go straight to the hospital to get him seen and a report was filled in for SS. Basically, I'm saying to be prepared to go to the hospital, op.
For us, it was explainable but we ended up staying in for 3.5 weeks when I mentioned something unrelated so I'm glad we went

Get bub seen. Non mobile babies shouldn't bruise. It won't "get out of hand" - there's not enough resources to investigate even obvious abuse. It could also be a blood clotting problem, so it needs blood tests.

They will definitely look into it as baby is too young to accidentally hurt themselves. But I wouldn't be worried as they are on your side and just need to know your child is safe.

The GP will take it from here.

Good luck with the GP this morning, Iv been thinking off you - i carnt imagine how your feeling but your doing the right thing 💐

I was reading this and thinking, hmm, some of these comments seem a bit much - A&E for a bit of bruising? Hmm. But the bottom line is, your tiny baby is having overnights with a man who has form for violent behaviour, and has come back with unexplained bruising. An underlying medical condition is very unlikely.

Does the dad have other children?

You need to get your GP involved, I think.

Go straight to a doctor as bruising can be a sign of underlying health conditions. I was that child and it turned out I had a health condition called ITP that requires immediate attention. Please go to your GP today x

I was reading this and thinking, hmm, some of these comments seem a bit much - A&E for a bit of bruising?
How do you think the baby got bruised? It’s not like a toddler taking their first independent steps and falling as they aren’t balanced properly or a two year old who runs everywhere tripping over frequently. A non mobile baby can not inflict bruises on themselves so someone or something has given the baby bruises. The question is what has caused them and if there is any further damage internally that has been done. The longer the op leaves it, if it turned out they were inflicted by a person, she has concealed the issue. Far better to seak attention early. If the op has nothing to hide, she will have no issue doing this and a doctor will much prefer to see a baby early than not see them at all until it is too late.

A GP appointment as you’ve arranged for today is sensible. Babies of that age should not be bruising.

It’s either non accidental injury or else a congenital platelet disorder if the baby is indeed randomly bruising in multiple sites over the body.

Maryann1975

I think it's possible someone has been rough when picking the baby up, perhaps at night when the baby is in the crib next to the bed, or an older sibling, or it could be abuse. But I don't think it requires an A&E trip, sorry.

If they do any blood tests or anything else that will result in bruising make sure that this is noted so it will be recorded separately from the bruising you noticed on return from your exs.

Well done OP, you're doing the right thing for your baby, even though it's really hard.

A pattern of small Dotty bruises sounds medical to me, OP. I would have gone to A and E. My DS had pettechiae (bloodspots under the skin) and bruising last year; it turned out to be a blood platelets problem called ITP. Whilst being mindful of abuse as a possibility, I would definitely consider medical causes too.

Ah, that's what I couldn't remember the name of in an earlier post. It sounds medical to me as well, rather than abuse. Hopefully.

My god you’d have to be really rough picking up a baby to cause so many bruises. The reason people are suggesting a&e is because it could be an underlying issue or there could be damage if he has been bruised by somebody. You really can’t take chances with such young babies. Good luck OP

I hope your appointment went ok. Whether it's illness or abuse you're absolutely right to get it seen to asap.