Bruising - how much is excessive in a 6 year old? How many bruises does your child have?

[hockeypuck]

DD is 6 and for the last few weeks has consistently had in excess of 20 bruises on her shins, knees, calves etc. She is a complete hypochondriac (like her mother!) so would normally make a big fuss if she bruised herself or fell over or something. She can't remember how she got any of the bruises, she hasn't fallen over laterly. She has learnt to ride her bike but hasn't fallen off it. She does a lot of exercise like dance and ballet but is not the kind of child that falls over and gets up again, she always comes and tells an adult if she falls so they can reassure her she is ok, she doesn't jump of climbing frames or do stuf like that that may bruise her, she's quite a gentle soul.

Is she normal for a 6 year old? do your childrens legs look this bruised at the moment? or do I need to see the GP?

Dd is constantly covered in brusises. She has a massive one on her bum atm and has no idea how she got it as well as dozens on her legs. She does fall over nad dump into things lots tho.

But then I'm the same so at least I know who shes inherited it from.

My DC (7 and almost 5yo) always have loads of bruises.

If it helps, my paediatrician said that if he sees a child without bruises then it rings alarm bells for him as the child may not be getting enough exercise/outside play.

DD never knows how she has bruised herself.

My 3 kids (5, 7, 9) are constantly covered in bruises at about knee or below level! Likewise arms.

They play out a lot and the current fave game is "crawling through the bush" in the grassy bit opposite our house. Thus the bruises.

They are sometimes practically blue/black fromthe knees down.

Just be careful - apparantly (according to dh, a GP) more than one bruise above knee level can be seen as a sign of abuse in people who are bothered about that! Luckily we don't have that problem, as my dc are bruised above knee to0 - by that bl**dy bush!

Phew!! Thanks for the reassurance. Perfectly normal then! I shouldbe glad that she's not quite as much of a hypochondriac as I thought!