Hospital nightmare

[RMCHLP]

Hi. I'm new to the forum and looking for some advice. I was carrying my 10 day old baby in a bouncer (I know I shouldn't have done it) downstairs and the handle came off and she fell down the stairs landing on the wooden floor. Immediately I took my daughter to A&E to get checked out and an X ray and CT scan were undertaken. We were told initially no bleed on the brain however were double checking this with another hospital who confirmed there was a bleed. It was only confirmed a number of days later that the bleed had been caused by the birthing process. We were told the x ray showed some fractures and our daughter was then transferred to a specialist children's hospital for further investigations. She was placed on a ventilator to 'neuro protect' her as at this stage they thought she had a bleed on the brain caused by the fall. A day later we had a meeting with the safeguarding paediatrician who stated our version of events don't add up with the injuries and an MRI was undertaken. This showed a bleed on the brain consistent with other new borns and no rib fracture had been picked up during the MRI scan. We then waited to bring our daughter off the ventilator where they said they would undertake a skeletal survey. The skeletal survey picked up 2 fractures however no sign of healing was picked up and they wanted to undertake another CT scan of the ribs. We have just had it confirmed that signs of healing have been picked up from the CT scan and again they dont think a fall would have caused this. We are still awaiting a second opinion however it feels like we are going to get our children taken off us for something that was a complete accident. We have another 5 year old boy who is not known to social services and both ourselves and wife have no criminal records. Has anybody been through something like this before who can offer some advice? How can they prove it wasnt from the fall? It just feels like a nightmare that won't end at the moment and worried of the long term implications this will have on our childre.

[Bossman1959]

Hello,
This must be really frustrating for you, doctors can be very secretive at times.

I haven't been where you are, however we all do silly things at times. Unfortunatly for you something went wrong, and you did the right thing by going to the hospital.

I am not an admin on the site but, I have seen one of my children taken into a foster placement due to doctors choosing caution and worse case scenario as to curcumstances.

This has left you with a very upsetting situation. I would suggest that you keep a diary or note book detailing what did happen? What injuries were sustained? and what the doctors have said about the incident and the comparison between injuries and narrative.

It may be that they re asses and agree with you, unfortunately they will involve social care at some point. They have a duty of care for all children they see, and I would expect a social worker to be assigned.

You will be interviewd by the social worker, as to what happened and why. This may turn into a child protection situation. This will involve both children and school, doctors, and any proffessionals that your children have been in contact with.

At the child protection meeting, everyone in attendance will share thier thoughts and observation. If they consider this was an accident then there may be no further action.

Any action they take will be in the best interest of both children. If they beleive the injuries were caused by some one, rather than the fall, they could ask a judge for a residence order. Or they could allow them to stay with you and monitor them.

Hope this helps....

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Hi. I'm new to the forum and looking for some advice. I was carrying my 10 day old baby in a bouncer (I know I shouldn't have done it) downstairs and the handle came off and she fell down the stairs landing on the wooden floor. Immediately I took my daughter to A&E to get checked out and an X ray and CT scan were undertaken. We were told initially no bleed on the brain however were double checking this with another hospital who confirmed there was a bleed. It was only confirmed a number of days later that the bleed had been caused by the birthing process. We were told the x ray showed some fractures and our daughter was then transferred to a specialist children's hospital for further investigations. She was placed on a ventilator to 'neuro protect' her as at this stage they thought she had a bleed on the brain caused by the fall. A day later we had a meeting with the safeguarding paediatrician who stated our version of events don't add up with the injuries and an MRI was undertaken. This showed a bleed on the brain consistent with other new borns and no rib fracture had been picked up during the MRI scan. We then waited to bring our daughter off the ventilator where they said they would undertake a skeletal survey. The skeletal survey picked up 2 fractures however no sign of healing was picked up and they wanted to undertake another CT scan of the ribs. We have just had it confirmed that signs of healing have been picked up from the CT scan and again they dont think a fall would have caused this. We are still awaiting a second opinion however it feels like we are going to get our children taken off us for something that was a complete accident. We have another 5 year old boy who is not known to social services and both ourselves and wife have no criminal records. Has anybody been through something like this before who can offer some advice? How can they prove it wasnt from the fall? It just feels like a nightmare that won't end at the moment and worried of the long term implications this will have on our childre.

Dear RMCHLP

Welcome to the parents’ discussion forum and thank you for posting.

My name is Suzie, and I am Family Rights Group online at adviser. I can see from your post that this is a very difficult time for you as your baby daughter has had to have several scans and x-rays although she is so young. These procedures are being done because you took her to hospital following an incident where she fell down the stairs

The procedures being carried out in the hospital are usual. In a situation like this, they are trying to find out whether your baby's injuries are accidental as you have described or whether they consider them to be non-accidental. In your post you lack the following a skeletal subway your baby percent have fractures to her ribs which are injuries not consistent with her having had before. if the doctors are saying it is a non-accidental injury or inconsistent with the explanation you provided when presenting at the hospital. If our referral has not already been made to children's social care safeguarding, then you should expect to be contacted by I social worker after that referral is received.

When a child suffers an injury it is considered very serious and this is why so many scans and tests are being carried out on your baby. The professionals are trying to find out how the injury occurred and, whilst you have explained how it happened they wish to be sure about the child’s safety and wellbeing. You mention in your post that it was confirmed your baby had bleed from the birthing process, was this something that was being investigated prior to you taking her to the hospital.

I can understand how frustrating this process is for you but am sure you want to be sure that your baby is fine and has no underlying condition for the bleed or fractures.

As you have had no involvement with children’s services before I think you might find it helpful to read the information HERE about what happens when they receive a referral. Although poster Bossman19 has offered you some information I think it would be helpful to clarify the position for you.

When such a young child is found to have fractures, children’s services will want to investigate this as they have a safeguarding role. They will also be guided by the medical opinions. As you maintain that you baby’s injuries occurred because of the fall and the doctors say otherwise, children’s services may consider applying to the court rather than going down the child protection route suggested by the poster. Should they take this course, everyone who had care of your baby during the period just before and at the time of the injuries would be in what is described as the ‘pool of perpetrators’. In order to decide who might be responsible for the injury the jkudge may decide that there should be a factfinding hearing. The judge would after hearing evidence decide to make findings as to who is more likely to have caused the injury. In some cases, it is not clear and the persons in the pool of perpetrator remain as no clear decision reached.

Please see information here about non-accidental injuries   non-accidental injuries

In the response to the suggestion that children services would seek a residence or. This is not correct a residence order [new name child arrangements order] is a private law order. The order that children services would be asking the court to make is a care order. There is a link HERE  about are proceedings for your information.

I have also included a link about child protection child protection should children’s services decide to go down this route initially. It is, I think likely that if the injuries are said to be non-accidental they will start care proceedings.

You wanted to know how doctors can tell if the injury is caused by the fall or not, I believe this can be done from aging the injury as well as looking at the kind of fraction and how it is shown on the bone. I suggest you speak to the consultant/doctor at the hospital about this to get a full explanation as I do not have the expertise.

You're in the early stages of the investigation but I would suggest that if there are any family members who would be able to take care of your baby should the decision be that she's unable to go home with you from the hospital then you can think about who you would wish to put forward to be assessed by children services in the short for long time. There is a process called family group conference which helps families to come up with a plan to keep a child within the family. Please read the information HERE about family group conferences.

Although this is a very difficult process that you are going through at the moment, my my advice is that you try to cooperate and engage fully with children services to ensure that there is a positive outcome for yourself and your family

You may find it helpful to contact Parents Accused 01626 332 266 this organisation for advice and support relating to your current circumstances.

Should you wish to speak to an advisor, please telephone all free confidential advice line on 0808 801 0366. The advice line is open from 9.30am to 3pm Monday to Friday (except Bank Holidays)

I hope this is helpful

Best wishes

Suzie