I just found out that a "friends" baby has a broken collar bone.....?

Question

okay a girl that i have been friends with on and off for about 4 years now gave birth to her baby on september 27. yesterday (october 2) she went to the doctor for the babys first check up. there they discovered the baby has a broken collar bone. i dont talk to my friend that much b/c i dont like the way she handle herself while being preg. my cousin is dating my friends baby daddy thats how i found out. if the collar bone was broken during birth like my friend is saying shouldnt the doctors or nurses caught onto it before they were discharged from the hospital???????? and i went to visit them in the hospital and the baby was calm and quiet not fussy and crying like she was hurting. i have read some articles online about broken collar bones in infants and none of them describe how the baby was when i saw her. this baby was unplanned and i have reason to believe that my friend did something to hurt her baby. any advice on what i should do would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

Another case of people that think it isn't their business. Well when the baby is found dead in a dumpster someplace, who's business is it then? Lindsay!!! There is a lot of pain associated with a broken collar bone regardless if in a newborn, child or adult. If it was broken at the time of birth, the baby would have show symptoms of pain, constant crying, etc. The doctor will examine the baby and determine whether he believes it was caused during childbirth or afterwards. A good doctor anyway will report these findings to child protective services if they believe that this is a case of child abuse. If you find out that the doctor didn't report them and you strongly believe that she intentionally harmed this baby, then you have a moral obligation to the well being of that child to report the incident. Now, having said that, if they do investigate and find out that it was indeed caused during child birth, then there will definately be some tension between you and your friend. But, I believe that you can file an anonymous report, give the physicians name that they were taken too as well. The will interview the doctor, staff as well as the mother and if wrong doing was done, they will protect the child. Yeah, it might not be your own personal business, but if we as a society keep having this attitude to look the other way when things are being done to kids, its no wonder that prisons are full nowadays. If you won't do it, who will?

Answer 2

I am sorry I read this and my heart goes out to you, we had a small little boy that had something similar happen here the babysitter accidentally broke his arm but he was a rough toddler and his older 5 year old sister went to the babysitters house together, the next time Mom picked up the toddler he was asleep and woke up in the hospital with a sever head injury he will always have problems and may not walk for years, at least not again. The babysitter smacked his head into the wall and he has brain damage now. My mother broke her collar bone once it was because she was smacked in the shoulder by a tree limb, falling down a slide the wrong way could happen becasuse she lands face down with the metal slide in the right spot or smacking down. For the babysitter not to tell you or face you on this shows guilt, she is avoiding your call and had her daughter there tell you? Accidents happen but under a watchful eye which is what you are paying this Lady for you should know how, and she should tell you, call you with the news. My mother said she knew something was wrong once she got her bearings it isn't something that is not noticed once it happens. The only reason I say these things is because I want you son to live a healthy happy LONG normal life and at this point I am not so sure the babysitter has his best interest at heart, Please don't be too put off by this but you obviously have some consern and I always believe that mommy's deep feelings and first feelings are usually the best. Contacting the ER to find out what their take is on this and if you should contact the police would be my first move. When you were at the ER did they ask you strange questions probing you about the accident did you feel like they thought something bad of you if so then keep you boy safe, he seems to be a active one that brings great joy into you life, and I wouldn't want someone to put out his light.

Answer 3

It is possible for the baby to have broken her collar bone during delivery, the pressure is intense! Yes they could have missed it at the hospital, both mother and baby were filled with endorphins (natural pain killers) during birth and the baby might not have been in any pain. And YES, if you truly think your "friend" hurt her baby either by accident or on purpose it is your responsibility as a decent human being to open up your mouth and tell someone, you could start with the baby's doctor. Good Luck.

Answer 4

I would not report this incident as abuse because you really don't have any proof and stated any reason that it may be abuse other than you didn't like her behavior while she was pregnant. If she has taken the child for the first check up on time and this was diagnosed then she seems to be a good parent as of yet. If the doctor believed that this injury was not a result of birth then by law they have to report it. Have you seen her interact with the infant? If she has behaviors you have witnessed then you should definitely report her to Child Protective Services but at this point I just don't see (from the info you gave) any reason to automatically suspect abuse. good luck

Answer 5

Be very careful in this situation. It is easy for people to come on here and tell you to call CPS. This call can ruin a person's life. I am sure the doctor knows that the baby was fine at the hospital and now has a broken collarbone. I would let the doctor deal with it. Especially since you aren't really that close to this person.

Answer 6

It is not uncommon to have the baby's colar bone broken during delivery. You would think that they would have discovered this in the hospital, but who is to say. I think I would have to tell you to give your friend the benefit of the doubt this time around.

Answer 7

I would have thought that if child abuse was suspected by the medical personnel, Child welfare would already been involved. That is the law.
This law pertains to ANYONE that suspects abuse. You must make a report to Social Services ASAP. You have no choice.

Answer 8

this sometimes happens to infants, it happened to my friends son when he was young & all she did was go to pick him up, you should tell the Mother of the child to
have the child looked @ by a Dr. & find out what she can do so this will not happen again .

Answer 9

sounds fishy to me! if you really have honest doubts contact the dept of family services!!!! that is a young young infant you are talking about someone has to look out for her!!!!!

Answer 10

I would call CPS....who's to say what else she can do to the baby....you can be anonymous or give your name...trust me the doctor would have known....