Our two-year old son fell over the dog when running through the house. He hit his head on the dining room table and suffered a fractured skull. Now the hospital has called in Child Protective Services to see if it was child abuse. We’re scared to death they might not believe us and take him away. Is there anything we can do as parents to protect our child?

With three million young children as victims of child abuse in the United States each year, hospital personnel see their fair share of child abuse. They are trained to recognize the most obvious signs. Skull fractures happen to be one of the most common signs of child abuse. Fractures of the long bones of the body are also suspicious.

This includes the femur in the thigh, tibia or fibula of the lower leg, humerus of the upper arm, and radius or ulna of the forearm. More than even fractures, an important physical sign is a contusion. A contusion is a visible bruise or large black and blue mark. Bruises in the shape of hand or finger prints are highly suspicious.

Once the child has been examined and evaluated, medical personnel are obligated by law to report any possible cases of physical injury. It doesn’t always mean the injuries are related to child abuse. Accidents do happen in young children but the majority of injuries in children under the age of two do tend to be abuse-related.

Once the social worker or case worker from Child Protective Services interviews you, you will have a chance to let them know what happened and your concerns. Don’t be afraid to ask what their policies and procedures are in a case like this.

Like you, their interest is in protecting the child. Your concern for your child will alert them to the kind of parents you are. Don’t hesitate to have them check with your pediatrician for records to show that there’s been no record of previous suspicious injuries.