two children who neglected by texas daycare walking on bridgeThere is no greater fear for a parent than the possibility that their child is being neglected or physically or sexually abused by a childcare provider. Especially if the child is too young to explain what is going on. You must be alert to the signs of your child being mistreated at daycare and the symptoms of abuse.

Even older children may not tell you what is happening out of fear. Our daycare injuries lawyer advises that you trust your instincts and look for these signs if you suspect something is not right.

Signs of Daycare Abuse and Neglect in Texas

Many working parents struggle to balance home and work. While you are at work, you need to be able to trust that your child is being well cared for at their daycare center. Sometimes life can be a little too fast for us parents, and we can overlook things because we simply do not slow down to analyze things.

We rush to leave the house for work, we rush to pick up our kids from daycare, we rush to make dinner, and then we rush to get our kids bathed and we say our prayers and it is off to bed. This happens Monday - Friday, and we miss multiple signs that our children may be begging for us to see. We are working so hard to give our families a good life and we place our job demands above our very own children. Parents need to slow down and take time to ask their kid's questions and pay attention to their responses.

Knowing what to look for and ask, our Dallas injury attorney explains, can make spotting abuse a lot easier.

Your child may have been abused, mistreated, or neglected at daycare if you notice the following signs:

The following behaviors may indicate that your child has been physically abused at daycare:

  • Sleep disturbances
  • Unexplained injuries
  • Flinching in response to your movements
  • Reluctance to go to daycare
  • Becomes aggressive with siblings or pets
  • Becomes shy or withdrawn
  • Becomes clingy or fearful

Sexual abuse can be even more difficult to identify. Sexual abusers are master manipulators and often threaten victims to keep them quiet.

As a parent, you will have to be very tuned in to the following changes in their behavior:

  • Displaying inappropriate sexual behavior or knowledge
  • Unusual anxiety or fearfulness
  • Sleep disturbances or nightmares
  • Regression to infant-like behavior, such as bedwetting or thumb-sucking
  • Painful urination or bowel movements
  • Becomes unusually shy or withdrawn
  • Becomes unusually angry or aggressive

Suspecting that your child has been abused is a terrifying experience. For your child’s sake, you don’t want to believe it could be true, but it is essential that you act on any suspicion you may have. Taking the child to a doctor should be your first step if the child appears to be injured. Visiting the daycare at an odd time of day may help you confirm your suspicions.

Report the Abuse and Hold the Daycare Center Accountable

If you can verify the abuse, you should report it to the police immediately.

While the police will investigate and make criminal charges if necessary, you will want to contact a daycare abuse attorney. Even if the abuse was perpetrated by an individual, the owners or director of the daycare center could also be held liable for compensating your child for her injuries and pain and suffering as they hired an unqualified daycare caregiver.

Don't be alarmed if the Department of Family Protective Services shows up at your house as it is part of their investigative course. To learn more about why the DFPS is at your house after reporting an incident at the daycare check out our article that explains it all in detail: 

Why Is The Department of Family Protective Services Showing Up At My House? 

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Dallas, Houston, and Midland Texas trial and personal injury lawyer dedicated to securing justice for clients.