if a student gets bitten by another student

amother

Fri, Sep 11 2009, 3:26 pm

What would you do for the victim? I told the person who picked the child up and I did try to give the child ice/band aid, the childnt wouldn't take it. I called the parent after school since it wasnt a parent by pick up. Im feeling bad that I didnt call right away. It wasnt bleeding though. What would you have done?

realeez

Fri, Sep 11 2009, 3:32 pm

I think you should have called right away. In the past, when my children have been injured by others or gotten scrapes or bumps that needed ice, I have received phone calls. One time my son was bitten by another child in school, not only did I get a phone call minutes after of "here's what has happened" but I had a followup call about 1/2 hour later from the principal that the situation is being dealt with. As a teacher myself, I would do the same.

Mirabelle

Fri, Sep 11 2009, 3:41 pm

In DD's school the policy is that you call right away, even if there wasn't bleeding.

I don't know how old the kid was, but my DD was bit in her two year old class last year and came right home and told me who bit her. I would have been very mad if they did not call.

Fri, Sep 11 2009, 6:53 pm

Does your school have a biting policy? If you work in a preschool, there should be a policy that all teachers follow.

Regardless of the age you teach, for biting and any other (non emergency) injuries, it's always best to call the parent right away and let them know "Your child is ok, I just wanted to let you know that he/she was bitten - we are dealing with the situation and are putting ice on your child (or whatever the treatment...) - Or your child does not want treatment but we will try again soon"

This gives a parent the option to give their opinion, or suggest other treatment etc.

Also pickup time is hectic in general, even if a parent does pick up on that day it is easier for everyone if they have been updated before, and leads to less misunderstandings.

If you do work in a preschool, I would suggest an incident report that the parent signs, so you have it on record. Both for the biter and the victim.

And there should be a policy in place for the biter regarding future incidents.

greenfire

Fri, Sep 11 2009, 7:18 pm

the dog should get a rabies shot and the victim a tetanus shot ...

my bro was once bitten hard and he actually needed a tetanus shot ...

the parent should have been called right away to assess the situation for herself ...

ValleyMom

Fri, Sep 11 2009, 8:49 pm

ALWAYS CALL THE PARENT!!!

Sometimes a bruise does not show up till hours later... especially during bathtime.
Every MOM wants to know EXACTLY what happened. How it was dealt with etc.

I call moms for every bump and scrape.

As a mom I want to know how my 2 year old ended up witha bruise on his back...

Isramom8

Sat, Sep 12 2009, 1:48 pm

I was once the biter - both my parents got called in with me to the principal's office! How humiliating; I was, like, five.

Vivi, are you on this forum? Sorry, okay? Twisted Evil

MMEC123

Sat, Sep 12 2009, 9:28 pm

Call right away because if you wait til later, the kid may have already gone home and told their parents and parents would prefer hear it first from the teacher.

mltjm

Sat, Sep 12 2009, 10:17 pm

Just want to add that if you can't get away from your class to make the call, have the principal call and tell the parent what happened and that you will be calling after school to talk to them.

pgk

Sun, Sep 13 2009, 12:47 am

I guess I'm the odd one out. My DD got bitten last year, and the teacher did not call me right away. She explained what happened when I picked up my DD and she told me that they were dealing with the biter. I appreciated the fact that she told me what happened up front and that she told me that they were dealing with the biter, but I never thought for a minute that she should have called me right away. My DD was fine and I don't classify a bite as an emergency (unless it was out of maliciousness coming from an older kid).