Accidental vs. Suspicious Bruising

By Caitlin Bootsma
Consultant to the VIRTUS® Programs

As a caring adult, it can be difficult at times to discern whether a child's bruises are just from normal daily play and accidents, or if there is cause for concern that a child may have been mistreated.

The most common indicator that bruising is accidental is the location of the bruise. It is typical for children to have bruises on bony areas such as knees, elbows and the forehead. 

It is less common for children to have accidental injuries on their cheeks, neck, genitals, bottoms or backs. If you note bruises in these places, you may also try to observe whether you can discern the object that inflicted those bruises. For example, do you see a semicircle that looks like a small set of teeth? Possibly it was a sibling who bit them. A larger set of teeth marks could indicate an adult perpetrator and be cause for further action. Or, perhaps, you notice the bruise on their leg appears to be the imprint of a hand or kitchen utensil such as a spatula.

No one wants to cry "wolf" over bruises that could end up being from normal childhood activities like falling and bruising a knee, or bumping one's forehead as a toddler. That's why it's important to observe accurately both the location and distinguishing marks. This will be essential information when reporting any bruising.

If you observe any concerning bruises that don't appear to be from normal childhood activities, report these to the child protective services in your state.

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