Am I being overdramatic?

[Hattythehamster]

My husband picked up my son (3) from pre school and was asked to sign an accident form as him and another boy got into an argument over a toy and my son got scratched on his back. They described them as ‘a few little scratches’ and made it sound like it wasn’t a big deal. My husband didn’t check his back at the time and signed the form and came home. When he told me I checked my sons back and I was shocked. To me these are not a few little scratches. I’m really angry and not sure what to do, feel like I need to bring it up with the nursery, but unsure what they can even do. Just want to sense check that I’m not being over dramatic?

Oh it’s one of your type.

I’m not suggesting the air ambulance.

Skin broken to what looks a few layers through by a grubby toddler who hasn’t learned to wash their hands after going to the toilet yet - why not check if 111 would recommend your tiny wee person has antibiotics?

It's not overdramatic at all. I imagine 99% of parents would be pretty furious.

Those marks are awful.

Also- Bathe the area with diluted dettol or similar and keep check for infection.

Please DON’T advise OP to call 111 for this, complete overreaction.
Clean them and keep them dry.

I was in AnE with my mum for 24hrs sat upright on chairs this week (she’s now on a ward), we all know 111 defaults to AnE for every little bloody thing. They don’t need OP there cluttering up the queue.

I put savlon on them straight away but think I might need to wash them with something stronger like you said. As someone else mentioned, 3 years old aren't the cleanest.

Ouch, poor little one, that looks nasty! Certainly not what I would call a few little scratches. I would speak to the pre school manager and ask what they are putting in place to make sure this doesn't happen again. I'd clean those scratches with some antibacterial wound spray too, dirty nails can harbour bacteria which can cause infection.

Just shown this photo to my DH, who is a rough n tumble former rugby-playing bloke not prone to babying kids - and quick to tell me to stop fussing mine - and his response was “fucking hell, what happened there?” He agrees you are not being overdramatic.

Document this and take it up with the head of the pre-school. Escalate it if you are not happy with the response.

Ouch, the poor little thing. I'd definitely be going in to the nursery with the pictures as that isn't a small scratch.

My son had an awful time in year 2 with a kid attacking him, I moved him to a different school in the end.

Sounds like this kid has issues with your son. And the nursery are playing it down or trying to make your son sound like he played a part.

Those scratches are awful. Really awful. Rake lots of photos, email the nursery to advise you want a meeting, and go and ask them what on earth happened and why they deemed them ‘minor’. Be calm but prepared to act if they’re as ineffective as I suspect they will be.

My son was also targeted by another little shit child when he was three. He consistently had head injuries at nursery. They told me he kept falling. Turns out the child was physically attacking him every day and they were covering it up. The child’s parents used to support their kid’s bullying too, by leaving only my child out. My kid was a little gentle soul. I couldn’t understand his sudden upset at going to nursery. I pulled him out in the end.

You are not being over dramatic and I'd be hoping that the person who described them like that would be under serious investigation.

That looks nasty. I agree you need to say it to staff and show them the photo. I wonder did they literally say little scratches or did DH assume this, I doubt the form would phrase it like this.

There is only so much the staff can do as often the boys who fight are also the ones who want to play together, unless there is a real behaviour problem, kids tend to only do this during a dispute so separating them isn't that simple. I would however (i am nursery staff) talk with the other parents and show the child the damage he caused along with some threats. Again there is only so much the parents can do at home re behaviour but at a minimum I would insist the child's nails are cut down as low as possible. Giving a rough kid long nails is like giving them a weapon.

Bloody hell, minor scratches? I don't think so. I wouldn't be letting that one go.

Poor baby.

My sister had this with my niece at school, they rang her to say my niece had had a small bump on her mouth and nothing serious my sister went to get her at home time to find her mouth was bruised, her head bruised and over the space of a few days it turned out the little girl who had been bullying her had took her down the bank, pushed her over and literally booted her in the mouth whilst she was on the floor!!
The school said teachers hadn't seen it but another child came forward to say what had happened!!!

Please don't let them make you feel like you're overreacting! This is your child who's beejln hurt, you need to get to the truth on how?!
No way is that just scratches!!!

Not at all over dramatic. I’d be wanting a meeting with the manager, an explanation for why the injury was minimised by the member of staff, a copy of the recording of the accident form with your photo attached, and a detailed plan for how they will protect your child moving forwards.

Poor lad, I hope he’s OK.

That is absolutely not some minor scratches. You need to get him checked out medically and then demand the nursery deal with the matter. I’d not be happy sending my DS back into an environment where that has happened if the child responsible was still there.

My type? The type that doesn't drain limited NHS resources on ridiculous things. Yes I am that type

Jeez. I can see as PP said, on the right there's almost a handprint but the scratches on the left look like they're in a line, it looks as if the other child must've clawed at your poor DS repeatedly?! Yes go back to them, ask staff who saw what and if no-one saw then why not? They should redo the accident form & explain how they will prevent any recurrence.

OMG. Surely if that was done with fingernail (not with the toy?) Then as it has broken the skin they should at the very least have cleaned them thoroughly and applied antiseptic? Did they do any first aid?
Is there any blood on his shirt? If there isn't then possibly they aren't as bad as it looks in the picture.

I think this could have been done fairly quickly, having worked in a nursery it's surprising how quick some kids can inflict damage like this and it's absolutely impossible to keep every child within an arms reach at all times.

However, they absolutely should not have brushed it off, I'd have expected at least a phone call at the time to explain what had happened and I'd expect a full apology and some sort of plan to hopefully stop something like this happening again.

Your poor son! That's incredibly sad. Definitely don't let this go, your son should be kept safe.

Agree, I would be getting healthcare advice about this. I thought it looked like bite marks. Your child may need a tetanus or antibiotics.

I agree. That is not a quick scratch. Those are deep too.

111 tonight might be overkill, but if there are any signs of infection(redness, swelling) tomorrow then I'd either pop to minor injuries or try for a phone call to the GP.

Not overdramatic at all. I would be furious that they had tried to brush it off as a few little scratches. I'd be marching in there tomorrow.

Yanbu op, Am I the only one who think them finger nail marks are to big for a 3ish year old fingernails