Incident at Nursery, how much do I lose my shit over it?

[CerseiForTheWin]

Name changed as Ive been sounding off about this so much that it could be recognisable.

DS started nursery a few weeks back, he’s ten months old. I didn’t want him to go particularly but I have to work and that’s a whole other thread. No family nearby to help, just me DH and DS. He does 3.5 days and I compress full time hours to have him for the other 1.5 days.

I have been thinking they were a bit rubbish with a few aspects, like not really helping him with his bottle so it’s either going all over his clothes and he had a rash on his chest from it, or he’s not really bothering to drink at all. He doesn’t eat much yet really so the formula is definitely still an important part of his diet. Added to that they’re crap with updates, I have no real idea what he does in there all day, all we get at pick up is ‘he’s been really good today’ what does that even mean?!

Anyway, got the dreaded nursery phone call at work on Friday. They emphasised the fact that he was ‘absolutely fine’ but had a slight injury to his fingers as they’ve got trapped in a door that someone opened. I thought we’ll that’s a bit shit why was he near the door but they said he’d just ‘grazed’ his fingers but had had lots of cuddles and was fine.

DH picked up- he’s not fine, he’s had the skin taken off the ends of two of his fingers. They’ve not dressed it or anything, it’s just raw. Apparently it looked worse than it was because he kept putting his fingers in his mouth. Duh. The key worker waved the accident form at DH and he signed it but frustratingly didn’t know he was supposed to receive a copy. She didn’t give him one. He says he just wanted to get DS home but was shocked at how bad it looked. So I don’t know exactly what happened.

have included a pic. Keeping the fingers clean is a nightmare. They’re really sore.

Obviously I’m really angry. I’ll email and have a meeting with the manger as I want to know exactly what happened. How mad would you go if it was your baby, and has anybody had any similar indecent happen at their nursery?

looking at pulling him out to go somewhere else too but slightly stuck for availability for the times we need and location but have started enquiring.

I’m definitely not over reacting am I ? Incidentally I work in childcare myself in a different capacity and in 14 years of that have never caused injury to a child in any way. The kind of accidents I might expect are bumps and falls etc but this is something else.

Bumping this for you op.

Looks fucking horrific I would be absolutely furious!!!!

The bottle thing is terrible too as he needs to have that at least until he's one as his main food!!!

Yes, that’s bad and you’re right be angry.

Looks more like a burn than a graze tbh. I think you should take him to the doctor just in case!!

The poor thing, that looks so sore. You could try putting a clean sock over his whole hand and pulling it up to his elbow so he cant get it off. It might help to keep it clean until it can dry up a bit.

I think you should go in and ask for the accident report and talk it through with the manager at the nursery. Then decide what you want to do. But ultimately if you dont trust them, you need to move him as soon as you have a new place for him. If you think he is actively not safe, then pull him immediately.

Thinking the same, it looks more like a burn?

Yes I dont think this should be able to happen. Babies get their hands everywhere so they either need to protect the doors somehow or have some sort of barrier to keep them away from the doors. Our nursery had versions of both on every door. .

That’s horrendous! He’s a baby! That’s negligent

that doesnt look like a door injury. id be asking further questions. but even if it was, the nursery doors should all have guards on them. id be pulling him out. its not acceptable. please take it further

That looks like a burn.

I would go absolutely mad and would take him out of there, but I totally overreact with regards to my children’s safety.

Yeah this is what my Early years teacher said. That they should have called one of us in to get him and assess whether he needed treatment. Obviously it was 6 on a Friday evening by the time DH was aware it was that bad and too late to do anything.

yeah, it does look like a burn and I’m really confused as to how it occurred at all

You're right to be furious and right to be looking to move him. My son was in nursery from the same age and they were great, this definitely isn't standard practice and of course they should be helping him with his milk let alone the fingers thing!

How on earth did that happen? I can’t see how it happened with a door.

That's terrible. Do they not manage to keep babies safe from doors?! Everything else is just minor but I'd be really unhappy if my child had sustained an injury like this. It's not like it was caused by another child (presumably) like being bashed with a toy accidentally, but by an adult and is pretty avoidable. DS's nursery, when he was in the baby's room, didn't have a door but a little gate, so easy for adults to step over and pretty much impossible for children to get their fingers trapped. I'd be going in to discuss it with them, calmly, but with a view to ensuring this can't happen again.

I was about to say the same thing. Definitely looks more like a burn to me.

I'd be raging OP. Your poor boy 😢

I agree that it looks like a burns. Doors don't do that kind of injury in my experience. That must be agony poor little mite. I'd go fucking ballistic.

hes had spray on plaster over it and aloe Vera and trying my best to keep it dry and sealed. I can’t believe we don’t have a copy of the form, which really makes me seriously uneasy that they’re trying to cover their arses.

That definitely looks more like a burn! Would you be able to have him seen by a doctor and ask for a copy of the incident report and see if it matches the doctor's assessment?

Yep, doesn't look like a door injury at all - how would it have managed to take off the skin like that? Poor thing.

Also dont the doors have guards on them? Thought that was common place in nurseries.

I'd be pulling him out, the fact that you're questioning how he got the injury and can't believe their door story is enough to show that they cannot be trusted to look after your baby.

I would be losing my shit majorly and I would be complaining and reporting them to Ofsted. Accidents happen but a baby getting an injury like that is 100% avoidable.

He definitely shouldn't have been in a position for his fingers to get trapped in a door at his age - I'd be more forgiving to the nursery if he was a fast moving toddler but a 10 month old doesn't move that fast!

They should also be giving you more detailed updates, especially at his age. DD started nursery at 13 months and in her book they noted what was served for each meal and how much she ate (none, some, most, all). If she had been on bottles they would have been listed too. Also how many wet/dirty nappies and when they were changed, when she'd napped and how long for and notes on what she'd done that day split by morning and afternoon.

I know it's hard but I think you're doing the right thing looking for other childcare options.

In terms of his fingers healing now the key thing is probably to keep them out of his mouth (easier said than done I know). Maybe a soft bandage wrapped around them in the day, then let them air over night?

Whenever incidents happen at our nursery which need checking out, they review the CCTV. You could ask for a meeting with the manager to do this. I'd be annoyed at that, doesn't look like a door squash injury really.

That's a burn.

im off with him tomorrow so will try my best to get an appointment or send photos to the GP at least.

Sorry meant to add, I would go mad and be making a complaint. The explanation vs injury do not appear to be adding up. I'd definitely take him to see a dr, you don't want an infection and they might also be able to confirm whether it's a burn or not. Poor little thing, hope he recovers soon.