Our pedi turned us to the Child Protective Services

[etc]

Our 2 year old was bit by a dog about a month ago, minor cut, was OK 5 minutes later. The dog was more or less playing with it, not seriously attacking our son.

My spouse called our pedi and apparently scared her. I think she really blew it out of proption. She wanted to schedule something (a week later), but I canceled it since there was no reason. It was a tiny scratch that has since healed. She got mad and turned us over to CPS. Now our pedi has never seen our son, so it's totally over the phone stuff.

Now CPS contacted me, wants to come over, I said no. I heard that a lot of times they will try to build a case against you based on info they fish out from such visits. Then they demand that we come to them.

Do they have that right, to demand a meeting one way or another?

[confustication]

I think you want to avoid being branded as 'uncooperative' without reason. I'd offer to meet with them, explain the situation, and go from there.

[Porcelain Interior]

I'd be making an appointment with that doctor. (Not to see my kid either....)

[jeliphish]

I'm a cps worker. Believe me (or at least where I work) we don't walk around looking for cases. We have enough bad stuff to deal with... And unless there truly is something that is creating an abuse or neglect situation, there won't be anything to build a case on.
I would think it would just be simpler to meet the worker, explain the situation, and just be done with it. As I have explained before... We can get two seemingly similar calls into our hotline: "child bit by dog, parents refusing medical treatment". One case could be like yours and there is absolutely nothing going on- heck my grandmother's dog nipped my DD and broke the skin a tiny amount (15 year old dashhound) and we didn't seek treatment.
OR... The same call "child bit by dog, parents refusing medical treatment" and we get there and a 2 year old has been attacked by a pit bull because its parents were operating an illegal dog fighting ring and dealing drugs. The 2 year old was left alone with several dogs while the mom was high...

That's the nature of the job. Sometimes we have to investigate the situations where nothing is going on... And as soon as we realize that the quicker we can get on with our day...

IMO I would just talk to the CPS worker and get it all cleared up. No need to get all up in arms over nothing.

[prothyraia]

Health care providers are mandated reporters, so if your doctor was under the impression that there was a serious bite, and you were not coming in to have it treated, then she has to call CPS or she can get in biiiig trouble. Especially if all this was happening over the phone and she has now way of knowing what's really going on.

As far as CPS, I'm sure you could refuse to meet with them, but it might just be easier to say "Ok, look we'll come in for five minutes and you can see the 'bite' we're talking about" so they know there isn't a problem, rather than having them keep trying to follow up on a non-existent issue.

[sapphire_chan]

Actually, in this case, I'd go ahead and have them come over and just not let them in the house. Why drive in the snow to take 5 seconds to show them a healed scratch?

[sunfish21]

Originally Posted by Porcelain Interior

I'd be making an appointment with that doctor. (Not to see my kid either....)

Exactly!

[khaoskat]

Not sure where you are located, but I would also just contact the worker, and tell them you are more than willing to stop by and allow them to see the alleged bite, or they can come to your home and you will bring the child out to the porch for them to look at the bite.

My dog is very friendly (my daughter can walk up, pull its bowl of food out from under its face while eating, and then hand feed the dog), but while playing a bit rough the dog will sometimes scratch the skin with her claws of even accidentally graze the skin with teeth while playing with a toy.

[Ofwait]

Originally Posted by etc

My spouse called our pedi and apparently scared her. I think she really blew it out of proption. She wanted to schedule something (a week later), but I canceled it since there was no reason. It was a tiny scratch that has since healed. She got mad and turned us over to CPS. Now our pedi has never seen our son, so it's totally over the phone stuff.

You have a reported dog bite of a minor... you said your self that your spouse really scared the ped.... but are refusing treatment or even a visit... the Ped would be very irresponsible to not report a situation of this nature, and could loose her license over something like this if not reported.

She is doing her job.

[lilyka]

could you make an appointment at their office?

also if you have insurance I would recommend taking your child in to the ped (perhaps one that does not freak out so easily - honestly her over reaction and lack of trust would signal to me a deeper continuing issue. I need my Dr. to believe when I say my child "is doing better, just fine, we just wanted to get you opinion on that" ) and getting an official clean bill of health in writing.(government agencies are so stupid about this. in order to get dds birth certificate we had to get a note from a random ped telling them it was indeed a live baby. no crap. they couldn't just look at her and see "yep, she is alive" only a Dr.s word would do. I also had to get a random OBs letter stating I had given birth to a live baby and this was her. even though he had never met me and was not at my birth. but because he said it it muct be true. because Dr.s are special).

good luck

[etc]

Thanks for feedback

[Purple*Lotus]

Originally Posted by lilyka

could you make an appointment at their office?

also if you have insurance I would recommend taking your child in to the ped (perhaps one that does not freak out so easily - honestly her over reaction and lack of trust would signal to me a deeper continuing issue. I need my Dr. to believe when I say my child "is doing better, just fine, we just wanted to get you opinion on that" ) and getting an official clean bill of health in writing.(government agencies are so stupid about this. in order to get dds birth certificate we had to get a note from a random ped telling them it was indeed a live baby. no crap. they couldn't just look at her and see "yep, she is alive" only a Dr.s word would do. I also had to get a random OBs letter stating I had given birth to a live baby and this was her. even though he had never met me and was not at my birth. but because he said it it muct be true. because Dr.s are special).

good luck

I once had to get a doctor's note saying that I was overweight in order to get a regular desk at my University When they told me I actually blurted out "Can't you just take a picture?" because it seemed so strange to me that they couldn't just *see* that I was heavy!

OP: I agree that I would probably just let them do a check to get it done with. I am sorry this is happening though, it sounds very stressful

[SunshineJ]

Wow I have to wonder if this is a relatively new pediatrician. With our old dr before we moved, if I'd called back and told them it was already healed and just a scratch, they wouldn't have thought a thing about it - but that's because they knew us pretty well and trusted our judgement. I'd probably find a new dr personally though after this. As for the CPS worker, let her see that the bite really was nothing, explain your DH overreacted, and let it drop. You've done nothing wrong but the more you stall on something like this the more it gives the appearance of guilt imo.

[ollyoxenfree]

I understand why you're unhappy, but I agree with others that even if the laws in your jurisdiction don't compel you to meet with them, you should. A meeting will probably clear things up quickly. Otherwise, the only way for them to investigate is to talk to your neighbours, school teachers, etc.

Without knowing exactly what your dh said to the doctor, I'm not going to label her as over-reacting. The law requires her to report suspected cases of abuse and neglect. I'd be surprised if she reports every dog bite case she gets or every untreated problem. If your dh really scared her (your words) and then the child is untreated, I agree with the others that she may feel she had no choice.

[GoestoShow]

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Edited by GoestoShow - 1/4/11 at 9:02am

[One_Girl]

Originally Posted by lilyka

also if you have insurance I would recommend taking your child in to the ped (perhaps one that does not freak out so easily - honestly her over reaction and lack of trust would signal to me a deeper continuing issue. I need my Dr. to believe when I say my child "is doing better, just fine, we just wanted to get you opinion on that" ) and getting an official clean bill of health in writing.(government agencies are so stupid about this.

good luck

Unfortunately good doctors are skeptical because abusive people are more likely to lie than they are to come out and say they are abusive and neglectful parents. Good doctors care more about the kid than they do about the parents feelings. I think this doctor was a good doctor who did her job. A parent called and made the dog bite seem like a big deal then the parents didn't bother to bring the child in, that seems neglectful and a pediatrician would be very careless to let that go. I wish all parents were good and honest so doctors wouldn't have to be suspicious, but they aren't.

[KristyDi]

I'm not sure the ped over-reacted. When you say the ped has never seen your son, do you mean never ever, or not for this issue? If you mean never-ever then I can see the reporting because she has no personal history on which to base her opinion of you and no personal knowledge of your son's overall health. So as a mandated reporter she'd have to go with the worst case scenario while hoping she's wrong.

I think the easiest thing at this point would be to let CPS see that your kid is fine whether you go to them or allow them to come to you. Personally. I'd go to them.

[luv-my-boys]

I agree with what the other posters have said. She is a mandatory notifier and in so depending on your states statutes regarding dog bites she may have had to report it.

IMO I would meet with the CPS but at their office. That way you are not labeled "uncooperative" I would also prior to the visit take my child to another pediatrician and have them write out a well child report regarding the bite. Its healed, not dangerous..blah blah blah. Make a copy to keep and take the other to your CPS visit. It may be beneficial to write out a letter a sort of statement of what occured that way you can have in your words what happened. In case the mtg goes down hill you can always say "this is my statement." "please refer to my statement for the answer" its a CYA move but sometimes in moments it helps to have it written out. Leave emotion out of the statement, plus it leaves no interpretation betwwen what you are saying and what the worker is writing down.

[ShyDaisi]

I would show them the child, but I likely wouldn't allow them in my home.

[SquishyKitty]

I'd meet with them in my home and show them the bite, and explain the situation. Since the Ped is new, she's doing what she is supposed to do in a situation like that. I'm sure if you had an established relationship, this wouldn't be an issue.