When you were growing up, there’s a high likelihood that you fell or tripping in a way that resulted in a broken bone. Broken bones are fairly common among children, and they’re not unusual in adults, either.
As a parent to a young child, you want to make sure he or she doesn’t get hurt because of other people’s actions while at school, but you still want your child to experience life. If your child comes home with an injury you suspect is a broken bone, you’ll need to identify it, the cause and consider what to do next.
Identifying a broken bone
Broken bones aren’t always easy to identify, but a few classic signs include a bump, change in shape of the bone, swelling and difficulty moving the bone. If your child recalls hearing a snapping sound, that may also be a sign of a break.
Make a decision about how the break happened
Once you decide to take your child to the doctor, you may want to have a talk about how the injury happened. If your child raises red flags, you need to discuss the injury with the school. In either case, it’s a good idea to talk to the school, since the teachers or monitors there should have contacted you about your child’s injury and sought medical care for your child. It may take a little investigation to find out what exactly happened, but if no one noticed your child’s fall or injury, it could be a sign of negligence.
Look into your options
Finally, look into your legal options. You may want to consider filing a complaint against the school for being inattentive to your child’s needs.
Source: KidsHealth, “Broken Bones,” accessed Feb. 16, 2018
