Daycare Burnt My Baby's Lip!

[Laurski]

I'm pretty upset right now and just wanted to vent (DH is currently out of town for work and unreachable).

When I got home with DD (who's almost 9 months old) a little while ago, I noticed that part of her top lip/corner of her mouth looked red.  Upon a closer look, I realized she had a small burn mark on her lip (about as long as the width of a fingernail). 

No one at daycare said anything to me about a burn when I picked DD up, and because the lights were still dimmed for naptime, I didn't immediately notice the burn.

Once noticed the burn, I called her daycare to find out what happened, and when the owner finally called me back, she said that one of the teachers thought she had heated up DD's lunch too much (I guess after DD probably reacted in pain!?), and the owner just forgot to mention it to me.

I'm upset and pissed.  Upset that my little girl was hurt (and especially upset that it was an injury that could have been avoided) and pissed that the owner was so cavalier about the whole thing.  Seriously?  I'm sure there were a lot of tears from DD--she's *super* vocal when she's just frustrated, so I'm sure that she let them know she was hurt.  How do you "forget" that?

(And I'm also hoping there's no scar--I scar pretty easily, so I'm hoping DD didn't inherit that from me.)

I'm done for the school year in just a couple of weeks, so I'm going to leave her there for now...but this (along with several other small things that have been building over the past few months) looks like I'm definitely going to be on the hunt for a new daycare...

[MomTo2inCA]

I'm glad she's OK.  The problem, I think., is that daycare owners look at each situation from a detatched mindset.  They probably figure in the grand scheme of things, your DD burning her lip on some food isn't a huge deal.  However, it's a big deal for YOU and they need to understand that.   Seems like you have every reason to be upset.

[Super~Single~Mama]

Thats strange, every single time anything happens at my DS's daycare they call, or are very concerned when I pick him up.  They even called b/c he had a tiny little bruise on his cheek and they didn't know if he got it at daycare or at home.  And I'm so laid back about that stuff, he's like a tornado, so bruises and bumps are seriously nothing new. 

I would be on the hunt too.  I hope the next few weeks are better.

[Laurski]

Thanks for your replies...

I spoke with the owner this morning about it when I dropped DD off.  She said that they usually test the food on their wrist but apparently DD was clamoring for food so they...forgot?    Her explanation wasn't super clear, but she was extremely apologetic, which I appreciated.  Fortunately, no interference with breastfeeding, which had me worried. 

Still, I wish daycare had mentioned *something* yesterday...

[LilMomma83]

Glad they took ownership of it today! I would have been upset if they knew about it and didn't write a report and give it to me along with a breif explanation...especially sense that is a completely preventable injury (not like she fell or something).

[hakeber]

DS's first day of Daycare he came home with a giant bite mark on his face.  These things happen and it's ever so hard.

Another thought might be...are you SURE it was a burn mark and not a blister from a tumble or a cold sore?  Maybe they were just trying to help find a possible answer as to where the burn came from so it was all they could think of...that may be why the excuse sounds a little off.  I only say this because DS had his first oral herpes break out a few months into his first daycare.  It looked like a burn at first, and I called the Daycare and asked about it and they said they were unsure, maybe they hadn't noticed it...maybe it was lunch...maybe he bit it, very vague...but then it split and peeled and it was clear this was not a normal burn...it was really sad but it healed in a few days, BUT the herpes spread to my nipples...OUCH!

[Laurski]

Originally Posted by hakeber 

DS's first day of Daycare he came home with a giant bite mark on his face.  These things happen and it's ever so hard.

Another thought might be...are you SURE it was a burn mark and not a blister from a tumble or a cold sore?  Maybe they were just trying to help find a possible answer as to where the burn came from so it was all they could think of...that may be why the excuse sounds a little off.  I only say this because DS had his first oral herpes break out a few months into his first daycare.  It looked like a burn at first, and I called the Daycare and asked about it and they said they were unsure, maybe they hadn't noticed it...maybe it was lunch...maybe he bit it, very vague...but then it split and peeled and it was clear this was not a normal burn...it was really sad but it healed in a few days, BUT the herpes spread to my nipples...OUCH!

Yeah, I totally get that things happen in daycare, and if what had happened had been something that occurred in the course of normal play (bumps, bruises, even a bite...) I would have been upset that DD was hurt, but would have also understood that this is what sometimes happens when a bunch of kids who lack impulse control, or good coordination, or whatever are placed in close proximity and engage in play.  What bothered me is that it was something caused by an adult, something that could have been avoided, and something that the owner had an immediate suggestion for the cause when I talked to her on the phone (suggesting that it *was* something she noticed at the time (DD's reaction to the too-hot food, that is), but just sort of shrugged off.

I'm 99% sure it's a burn, although your point about herpes is something to think about.  However, the mark extends past her lip onto her face, and it's a distinct line (like the line of a spoon), rather than just shiny area.  But I'll keep an eye out.  (And cross my fingers it's not...herpes on the nipples sounds so painful!  My sympathies!)

[hakeber]

oh man...that's not cool if she noticed at the time and said nothing...maybe the mark didn't show up until later, after you got home, and she just thought the food had been a little too hot, but having left no mark it was not a big deal and thought it wasn't worth mentioning...until you mentined it...YIKES!  

How is she now?  I hope she's better.

[Laurski]

Yeah, I'm hoping it was just that the mark didn't show up until later.  The women who work at the daycare are usually super affectionate and loving with DD, so the whole incident has just been upsetting and bizarre.  And, as I mentioned in a previous post, there's just been this gradual accumulation of things (nothing major, just things that have bothered me a bit) that, along with this latest incident, is prompting me to search for new daycare.  I think part of the problem is that even though they are *technically* within the state's requirement for caregiver to child ratio, they just seem rather overwhelmed most days.

Oh, and thanks for asking about DD.  She seems totally fine.  No aversions to the spoon, no problem breastfeeding.  She seems to have recovered from the whole thing *much* faster than her mama!

[Catubodua]

very odd that they didn't write up an incident report.  at our daycare the slightest little thing gets written up.  a burn, no matter how small, would have prompted a phone call.

when we first got there i have to admit i was rather annoyed by how often i was getting notes, but now i like it that i know (as much as i can) what's going on during the day.