The Importance of Medical Treatment After Your Child is Injured at Daycare

Children's natural curiosity can lead to exploration and discovery, but without proper supervision, these adventures can quickly turn hazardous. Therefore, it's crucial to have diligent and qualified daycare staff who prioritize the safety and well-being of the children. Unfortunately, neglectful supervision in Texas daycares has resulted in numerous preventable injuries among children.

Upon learning that your child has been injured at daycare, prioritize seeking immediate medical attention. Even if no visible signs are present, take them to the hospital for diagnostic testing like X-Rays and MRIs, followed by a visit to their pediatrician. Whether notified by the daycare or discovering it later, head to the emergency room first.

Prompt assessment and treatment are crucial for your child's health and potential future injury claims. Medical records detailing the injury's timing and severity will be pivotal for any lawsuits or claims against a daycare. Keep thorough records of treatment expenses for adequate recovery.

Why Do I Need to Take My Child to the Emergency Room After a Daycare Injury?

It's imperative to take your child to the emergency room because children often struggle to articulate their pain effectively. Many of the children injured at daycare are either pre-verbal or still developing their language skills, making it challenging for them to communicate their discomfort in detail.

Some of the injuries babies and children in daycare commonly suffer from include the following:

• Bumps and bruises: While common among children, they may sometimes mask more severe injuries such as head trauma or internal organ damage. For instance, a simple trip over an exposed cord could lead to a significant head injury. If your child consistently returns home with bruises, it's advisable to visit the daycare center to ensure proper supervision and safe play areas. In cases where caregiver abuse is suspected, seeking a doctor's evaluation is essential.
• Broken bones and dislocated joints: An infant rolling off a changing table or an older child being ejected from a poorly maintained swing set can lead to these injuries. Typically, such incidents stem from inadequate supervision or negligent property maintenance. In severe cases, a child may be forcefully handled by a caregiver, resulting in dislocated joints or broken bones. Other scenarios may include: Climbing incidents, playground collisions, slipping on wet floors, or trapping incidents.

• Head trauma: In the event of a child sustaining a head injury at daycare, it is imperative that the daycare promptly informs the parent. If the child loses consciousness, immediate action should be taken by the daycare provider to contact emergency services by dialing 911. Given that head injuries frequently lack obvious symptoms, it is essential to acknowledge the potential for caregivers to conceal such incidents. Any attempt to conceal such negligence must be thoroughly investigated, and the responsible caregiver held accountable.

• Burns and shocks: Burns will leave an obvious physical injury, and will need to be seen by a doctor immediately to start treatment on the injury. The way children get burn injuries is by teachers being careless and putting items such as hot plates or bottle warmers in a child's reach causing them to injure their fragile skin. Other negligence cases we have seen are where daycares didn’t take the correct precautions in covering hot glass windows and when a child touched the glass their hands got severely burned. Electrical outlets that are not safety-proofed can also shock a child who inserts a toy or utensil. A daycare center could be negligent of failing to provide a safe environment and failing to supervise children in a burn or shock incident.
   
• Playground injuries: Playground injuries pose significant risks, often leading to broken bones and brain trauma. Children may not fully comprehend the severity of their injuries and may simply dismiss them as "boo-boos." Only a doctor can accurately assess the extent of the injury. When daycare facilities are understaffed, proper supervision on the playground becomes challenging, resulting in teachers being unaware of how or when an injury occurred. For instance, a lack of attention from a teacher allowed young children to play with a jump rope on a slide, leading to a child being strangled by the rope. The consequence of this negligence is a child left with a serious injury that will impact them for life. Parents should raise concerns if the daycare staff cannot determine the cause of their child's injury.

• Heatstroke: Heatstroke is a prevalent concern often downplayed by daycare centers, which can inadvertently lower parents' vigilance. Texas's extreme weather poses a significant risk, making children vulnerable to heatstroke—a condition associated with substantial organ and brain damage. Whether a child is exposed to the elements outdoors or left unattended in a vehicle, the resulting internal injuries can have lasting consequences. It is essential for all daycare teachers in Texas to be well-versed in recognizing the signs and symptoms of heatstroke.​​

After you’ve left the hospital, you might want to go to a specialist. A pediatrician can only do so much if you know that your child’s injuries are serious - it won’t hurt to visit a specialist to ensure your child is receiving the best course of treatment for their injuries. 

Be an Advocate for Your Child - Be Aware of the “Cover-Up” Tactic Daycares Use

When a child is injured at daycare, they may not be able to speak up for themselves, which highlights the critical role of parental advocacy. It's essential to ensure that every injury is thoroughly treated and evaluated before leaving the hospital or doctor's office.

Unfortunately, daycare facilities don't always provide truthful information about these incidents. Many times, daycare staff may downplay the seriousness of an injury to protect themselves or the facility. Parents often only learn the truth after conducting their own investigations, revealing what we call a cover-up.

Parents deserve to know the full extent of what happened to their child, and daycare facilities should take responsibility for any harm that occurs. Concealing the truth for their own benefit is unacceptable. While it's difficult to think of daycare as a potentially dangerous environment, if evidence suggests inadequate supervision or unsafe conditions, parents must take action to protect their child and the community.

What Can The Button Law Firm Do to Help With Your Family’s Daycare Negligence Abuse and Negligence Case?

Call the Texas Daycare Injury attorneys at The Button Law Firm to learn more about these types of daycare injury cases. If you have just found out that your child has been injured at daycare, please don’t hesitate to call us at 214-699-4409 or reach out to us through our contact form. You can also speak with a member of our team by starting a chat. 

We are committed to assisting you every step of the way. With extensive experience in handling daycare negligence cases, we understand the complexities involved. Even if your situation doesn't evolve into a formal case, we will guide you through the necessary steps to ensure justice is served. Our goal is not only to seek justice for your child but also to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future, safeguarding the well-being of all children.