to be concerned about DD3 falling and hurting herself regularly at nursey

[Summerone1]

Just wanting some advice please. DD3 is at nursery 3 hours, 5 days a week. She falls and hurts herself regularly and I'm wondering if this is common for kids her age. She fell and bumped her head about 4 times this year, one of which, her teacher called me and asked for her to picked up early. She had a big bump and a scratch on her forehead, as a result.

It's got to a point where, she's constantly having bruised and grazed knees. As she's about to recover, she falls again and we're back to square 1. Yesterday she came home with a bit of a swollen knee, a badly grazed back of her hand and knee. She's limping today and complaining of sore knees.

I spoke with her teacher in March about these frequent injuries. She said, they're only of concern when they're happening everyday.

She hardly ever falls at home and when we're out.

She's not being bullied, and some child is pushing her over, is she? Have you asked her how the injuries happen?

Have they said how it's happening?
If she literally tripping everytime? Is she being pushed?

Since my 3 year old started nursery, they’re constantly covered in bruised shins and scrapes. They’re outside, climbing and with other children so much more. They’re an only child at home, so much less falling over! I’m personally not concerned and think it’s very normal because they also come home absolutely filthy showing me that they have been playing outside and in messy play most of the day!

However, if I was concerned I’d just speak to nursery staff for more info and know they’d be fine! If it’s on your mind, definitely just ask!

Sounds pretty normal to me.

Much more rough and tumble when playing with other kids than there is at home.

If concerned speak to nursery

I'd be concerned if it isn't happening when she's at home or out with you.

I would also think that the frequency would be a concern to the teacher and I'm surprised she's just trying to brush it off because it's not everyday

She's only there 3 hours. Maybe the teacher can't keep track if there's too many kids or maybe one of the others is pushing her over?

It's definitely worth more investigation

My son comes home from nursery with bumps and scrapes regularly, but I get given an accident form to sign with a fairly detailed account of what happened, where, when and how. Are you not getting that?

Is she having a growth spurt? Mine always lost balance at those points.

But ask if there's anything going on with another child. Or if they think she might have dyspraxia or something similar. How is her mobility compared to her peers?

That being said I always used to think that if I had to send DD1 in with a bruise from an accident at home. karate lessons they started non contact at 3yo or soft play etc it would be on 'record' that this was not unusual for her.

I must sign the accident book every week for my 4 year old. I don't think this is unusual. They climb and run around, there's more kids to get in the way of them than at home and consequently they all trip over each other. My 11 year old was like this too. She grew out of it. I wouldn't worry too much.

My first thought reading this would be that she may be being pushed if it's not something she normally does at home. My middle DD was constantly having accidents at nursery and it turned out to be a wee boy (who actually liked her and wasn't a violent kid) who didn't know how to interact with her properly.

It did stop after I told the nursery staff that I was sick of this shit happening and it was their bloody job to stop it (admittedly not my finest hour but it had been happening for months and I was terrified that next time the hit to the head could be far worse than a huge lump.)
The fact that it did stop makes me more annoyed as clearly the staff didn't bother to deal with it before I kicked off.

My 3 year old currently has 2 bruised knees, a cut just below one knee and a bruise on one forearm. Her co-ordination goes a bit when she's tired but her ability to walk into a room and hurt herself (walk into the arm of the sofa etc.) is quite incredible. I guess it's a "you just learn to walk and then your legs grow and your feet aren't where you thought they were" thing, but completely normal.

A child who is on their own and with one-to-one adult attention isn't likely to get the minor bumps and knocks that they do when playing with other children. Because you as an adult don't play with them in the same way as they play with other children, and are more careful! My friends have a 2 year old and 5 year old, and when I'm looking after one of them on their own it's rare for any injuries to occur. When they're both together, the 2 year old trips over trying to chase his older brother, or they bump heads, or the 5 year old is climbing on furniture and he tries to follow but isn't as steady, or they're wrestling together on the floor.

A bunch of toddler/preschool age kids tearing around are going to trip, collide, bump heads, sometimes have disagreements and push each other or snatch things, no matter how well supervised. You wouldn't want them all sat cross legged on the carpet quietly all day, energetic playtime will lead to some knocks. The nursery should explain how injuries occurred though and if there's a pattern you can question that. Is she using equipment too big/advanced for her, etc.

She's talked a few times about a little boy pushing her and hitting her. But, I've never thought much of it.

Check her gait. I had permanently grazed knees and would always fall up until about age 7 when they noticed I turned one foot in when I was running. I had physio for it.

Just a thought, but has she had new shoes? In a nursery I worked in a little girl had 3 nasty falls in one day after getting new shoes, her mum put her in different shoes with less of a ridge at the front and it didn’t happen again.