The short answer is that kids often get bumps and bruises, but serious injuries like head trauma, fractures, or burns, especially in daycare or school, could signal neglect or abuse.
As parents, you do your best to keep your children safe, but things still happen. Whether they’re learning to walk, playing on the playground, or just being curious explorers, kids are naturally prone to a few scrapes and bruises. However, when a serious injury happens, especially under the care of someone else, parents deserve clear answers and guidance.
This article breaks down the most common childhood injuries, what’s expected as part of growing up, and what kinds of injuries could be a red flag for negligence, abuse, or dangerous environments like unsafe daycares, schools, or public facilities.
Most Common (and Expected) Childhood Injuries
Let’s start with what’s generally considered normal. These types of injuries often happen at home or during supervised play and are typically part of childhood development:
1. Falls
Falls are the #1 cause of non-fatal injuries in children under the age of 15. These can happen while learning to walk, climbing on furniture, or playing outside. Most falls result in minor bruises or scrapes, but they can sometimes cause more serious harm, like broken bones.
2. Cuts and Scrapes
These are usually the result of playground incidents, bike falls, or even roughhousing with siblings. They're common and generally treatable at home unless the wound is deep or gets infected.
When Childhood Injuries Aren’t Normal
When a child is seriously injured due to someone else’s negligence, especially at a daycare, school, or company-run facility, that changes everything.
These injuries might include:
1. Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)
If your child suffered a head injury and lost consciousness or had symptoms like vomiting, confusion, or lethargy, it could indicate a traumatic brain injury. These are serious and often life-altering. When a TBI happens under someone else’s care, it’s vital to investigate how it happened.
2. Broken Bones from Unsafe Environments
Kids break bones—it’s part of being active. But if your child comes home with a fracture and there’s no reasonable explanation, or if they were under the care of a daycare or school when it happened, it’s worth looking into. Unsafe play equipment, lack of supervision, or improper handling can all be signs of negligence.
3. Burns from Unsafe Conditions
Second- or third-degree burns from hot surfaces, chemicals, or bottle warmers are not normal childhood injuries. If your child was burned at a facility, the cause and circumstances should be thoroughly examined. No child should be exposed to hazardous materials or left unsupervised near heat sources.
4. Sexual Abuse or Unexplained Bruising
Any injury to a child that involves bruising in unusual areas, behavioral changes, or signs of distress deserves immediate attention and could point to abuse. These are never acceptable and must be taken seriously.
Negligence in Daycares, Schools, and Public Facilities
Many parents trust daycares, schools, and companies that market to children to provide safe environments. Unfortunately, that trust is sometimes broken.
Negligence can take many forms, such as:
- Inadequate child-to-caregiver ratios
- Lack of proper supervision
- Failure to maintain safe equipment and facilities
- Not following emergency protocols
- Hiring unqualified or dangerous caregivers
Injuries caused by negligence aren’t just unfortunate—they’re preventable. And when they happen, someone should be held accountable.
At The Button Law Firm, we’ve helped families navigate the aftermath of daycare and childcare injuries. We’ve seen firsthand how devastating these preventable injuries can be, not only physically but emotionally. Parents are often left with guilt, confusion, and frustration. But you’re not alone.
What to Do If Your Child Has Been Severely Injured
If your child has suffered a serious injury—especially in someone else’s care—take these steps:
- Seek immediate medical attention
- Document everything (photos, doctor notes, your child’s symptoms, witness information)
- Ask for an incident report from the facility
- Consult an attorney experienced in daycare injury cases
You have every right to demand answers—and justice.
Our Daycare and Child Injury Lawyers Are Here to Help
If your child experienced an injury at daycare, contact our experienced team of daycare injury lawyers at The Button Law Firm. We can help guide you after a traumatic incident involving your child. We work on contingency, meaning we don’t charge you or collect any upfront fees to get started on your case.
Call us at 214-699-4409, email us at [email protected], or fill out a contact form for a free case evaluation.
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