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?

YANBU and i would be furious with nursery. They either didn't check his back properly after the incident or they are down playing it. You definitely need yo raise it.

Not dramatic, not minor.

I would be keeping child home until I could speak to manager re that. That not a few scratches. Plus he would be wearing clothing.

Thanks all. I've sent an email asking for a meeting and sent them the photo. Will see what they say tomorrow.
I had put some savlon on but going to clean them again with some antiseptic. My son's fine in himself, he's quite a tough little thing but he told me he cried when the boy did it, unsurprisingly as it would hurt!
Relieved to know I'm not being dramatic, I know I can be sometimes when it comes to my kids so good to hear others opinions!

I would definitely write to the nursery and include the picture as evidence. That is more than just scratches!
make sure they have a body map recorded with info that it was several areas of broken skin. They need to be clear about the injury.

I wouldn’t criticise your DH too much. I know I’ve been guilty of signing off injury forms slightly too blasé before when in a hurry at pick up. If they minimised it then I can see how he didn’t check.

The other child must have quite long nails to have caused that, also he must have been really tugging at his clothes to leave scratches in that area of his back, I would question them more about what happened and make a compliant, it looks like that was quite a fight!

That poor boy, I'm not surprised he cried, I'd cry if that happened to me.

I'd be annoyed at two things tbh;
the nursery at trivialising it and your husband for not checking as I'd always check when signing an incident form?!

That's not a little scratch, it's horrific. I'd be after a meeting with manager and potentially the boy being moved away/reassurances as to how they are going to safeguard in future

They look big to me too, although it could just be perspective. OP, I'd check the size of your sons nails against the scratches to make sure it was a kid that did it.

Your poor son, I would hit the roof if that happened to my child.

I'd be fucking furious.

Schools/nurseries don't do enough to stop things like this happening, and they have clearly downplayed this. They are letting kids get away with far too much with this gentle crap. If a child is prone to violence then they shouldn't be around other kids until they learn how to behave themselves. Those aren't just little scratches.

Those aren't small scratches by any means those are scratched in pretty deep 😞 your poor son I hope he feels better soon. Definitely take this up with the nursery in the morning you have every right to be very angry

I don't think she should be mad at her husband pick up time can be quite chaotic

Yes of course, my mistake. It’s perfect logical sense that you having had to wait in a queue at A+E in a different town/city/possibly country on a different day means that OP shouldn’t call a completely different service about her child.

if antibiotics are required (they are for a human bite) then 111 would send to out of hours Dr or prescribing pharmacist.

I wouldn’t describe those as scratches, they’re dug in nails and a lot of them. I think you have to ask the nursery exactly what went on and who was supervising the children.
Also check if bruising comes out below the nail marks over the next day or two.

Why on earth would you need to call 111?

You don’t need antibiotics for a human bite. I took my daughter out of her old nursery as she was bit a horrendous amount of times and she didn’t need antibiotics once.

Bloody hell, that’s brutal. Poor kid.

That's awful. I agree with those who are saying that it looks like the other child dug their nails in repeatedly. Your poor kid.

Definitely have a word with the nursery - they can't brush it off. They must make sure that it doesn't happen again to any child.

I work in early years, we always show the parent on collection any injuries their child has whether it’s been from another child or a fall. We do this to ensure the parents see the exact marks/injury before going home. (We also do this as a parent tried to claim other marks a day later were caused at nursery which we knew hadn’t been)

personally I would take photos and email them asking for a chat wih head of centre regarding the injury your child has received. Head of centre will speak to child’s key worker and whoever witnessed the incident and will discuss strategies to stop this happening again and how to tighten their procedure when parents sign accident/incident forms on collection.

Poor little man, that looks awful. There looks like malice behind that!
I really think you need to put something in writing so you have it documented. Include photographs and that you're disappointed you were not given an accurate description of his injuries. Ask for a statement regarding the incident - what happened, what actions have been taken, have the other child's parents been notified? What is being put in place to prevent your child (or others) being subject to this sort of treatment going forward?
Hope he feels better soon and the nursery act appropriately x

Bloody hell that's a nasty load of scratches. You did right emailing the nursery. It makes me uneasy that they have downplayed it.

No point ringing 111, there's no sign of infection at this point, you wouldn't need stitches or a tetanus for that.

That sounds awful for your poor lad. I hope he’s OK now and in more suitable surroundings. No young child deserves to have to go through that.

How in gods name did this happen assuming your child was fully clothed?

I would want a detailed explanation, outlining exactly how this happened and where. Why weren’t they supervised given its well known there is an issue?

it’s a serious injury/assault not a few scratches, why has this been minimised? You should have been contacted when it happened, your son must have been very distressed.

I would be seriously questioning whether he should be in this pre school at all. They don’t seem capable of safe guarding him.

I hope your son is OK 😞 you are most definitely not over reacting at all. We have had similar issues previously although scratches were not to this extent and it was played down, I went back the next day to the nursery expressed my concerns and spoke through my worries, and luckily it was something they kept an extra eye on for future sessions my LG attended. If they are a good nursery you should not have any issues in mentioning it and them supporting you and your son with issues, although daunting sometimes to raise issues, we are our children's voice x

No wonder the NHS is on it's knees.