WWYD? Child comes home with a bloody lip, says teacher did it accidentally (Update)

[BookishMama]

My 5 year old son came home from school today with a swollen, bloody lower lip. I can see that the lip was cut by his central incisors. I asked him what happened to his lip and he said that his teacher was jumping rope and she accidentally hit him with her hand. He said that he was going to tell her that he skinned his knee and she didn't see him and she started jumping rope and "smacked" him in the mouth and "blood got on her hand" and they sent him to the nurse's office where the nurse put Vaseline on it.

There was no note in his backpack and the nurse didn't call us to inform us of this. Is this lack of communication normal for elementary schools? Should I contact the school and ask about it?

I know kids get hurt, but this is a little more than a skinned knee. It started bleeding again when he had his after school snack. I called the pedi's office and they said they don't stitch lips, so to put ice on it, keep it moist with Vaseline or Lanolin and keep an eye on it.

Update:

As I posted below I spoke with the nurse this morning, but just a little while ago his teacher called. She assumed that the nurse called me yesterday, and said she would have called herself if she had known that the nurse did not. She explained what happened (he walked up behind her just as she was motioning to show the kids how to twirl a jump rope) and said she felt bad. I feel much better.

[jeebee]

Hmm, I have to say I'm really surprised nobody said anything to you. it does sound like it was an accident, but still. Lips do stop bleeding pretty quickly though so maybe they just didn't realise it was as bad as it was.

[VinhThiMom]

I don't have kids in elem. school, so I don't know what the norm is. But I'd be upset that the teacher didn't inform me of what happened. If my child is injured (beyond scraped knees/elbows), I want to know how the injury occurred.

[JustAugust]

I'm sure it was just an accident, but I'd be very upset about the lack of communication. I'd be going up there first thing tomorrow to ask what happened.

[wooly_wonderful]

Hmmm, you would think the teacher would have let you know or at least the nurse. As a teacher myself I would DEFINITELY let you know if I was to do something like that and I can see how that could easily happen. If I were you I would go talk to the teacher tomorrow to make sure that's what happened and politely suggest she call or send a note if something happens to your child.

[youarelovely]

I don't have kids in elem. school either, but I think that I would be upset about not being notified. At my mom's daycare they send an accident report home with ANY child who gets even a very minor owie.

[Monkeytaylz]

While it was an accident, the shcool or teacher should have informed you as to what happened. Sometimes stitches may be required, but school nurses, if the school even has one, do not always provide adequate first aid.
Schools do not always let you know your child has been hurt if they feel it is not necessary. I made a big fuss when my first child (dsd) was in first grade and she came home with a skinned knee that had a blood soaked band-aid on it. I took the band-aid off to find that her knee was shredded and and gravel embedded in the wound. It was visibly more than a simple scraped knee. We had to use tweezers to get out the gravel. I called the school immediately and they said that they do not wash cuts/scrapes, only apply band-aids, and did not feel it was necessary to call me. I let them know that I expected to be called if my child was ever injured in any way so that proper first aid could be done if they could not do it. After that, I was always called!! My dsd still has scar on her knee..she is nearly 28 now!

[GEM Cloth]

I'd be upset that I had not been called right away, I'd call the school or go up there on the next chance I got (either that afternoon or the next morning) and I'd request to be informed of any injury that broke skin/drew blood.

[Yeladim=simcha]

The lack of communication is not cool at all! My 6th grader scraped his knee at school, and I as informed about it at dismissal time.

[escapethevillage]

You'd think the teacher would have at least sent you an email. She should have felt really bad about it.

Your son was probably as embarrassed as he was hurt... so, he may have downplayed it a little bit.

I'd send a note to the nurse saying that you think you should have been called about that.