Before I begin, I would like to say that if anyone is going to be judgemental, please stop reading right now. Also, if anyone has anything nasty to say, please don't bother, I've been through enough.
When my son was six weeks old, he had a chest xray to check for pneumonia. The xray showed six rib fractures. The police were called, CPS got involved and both my boys were taken away. The doctors said it was child abuse, and my husband was charged. Since then, its been five months. Charges were dropped, and my boys are finally home, although CPS still won't let my husband stay in the home with us. The doctor keeps insisting it was child abuse, but we do not even spank our children. Also, he had no signs of SBS, internal organ trauma, or bruising...we didnt even know he had the fractures! He never seemed to be un any discomfort at all. My oldest son checked out fine (they did a skeletal survey and examination) and other than the fractures, my baby had no other signs of abuse or neglect. I have noticed something unusual about my baby from birth. He always seems to sweat, no matter what he is wearing, even now. He has always sounded congested and I'm having him tested for cf, but I dont know if that would explain the fractures. And his eyes are a weird color. He has brown eyes, but there is a weird dark blue ring around them. I know in my heart we did not hurt our baby. Does anyone know what might have caused the fractures? They said he was squeezed and shaken, but if that was the case, I don't see why there were no other injuries.

Oh sweetie. So sorry for your situation. I have a friend going through the same thing right now too - so we have done ALOT of research.
I can tell you that with the blue schlera (around his eyes) - the hospital should have tested him for brittle bone disease (osteogenesis imperfecta). Not saying your son has this, but the blue schlera is a BIG indicator when an infant has broken bones. The ribs could have possibly been broken during childbirth and you just happen to find out when they took the xray. I know that it's hard to be in a situation where you are praying something shows up in the genetic testing, but it's even harder to think that your husband caused this to your child. I do know the torment my friend is going through - her husband has not been allowed to come back home either.

Anyway - here is some information for you that we got during our research:
However, there are some broken bones that can occur in children that have nothing to do with child abuse or accidental falls. Spontaneous fractures can occur in the following with no or minimal trauma:
• Osteogenesis imperfecta
• Osteopenia
• Osteomyelitis
• Rickets
• Neuromuscular diseases
• Fractures associated with bone tumors

Please do additional testing on your child to ensure that none of the above is going on and to allow your husband to come home. Now I have to warn you that the genetic testing for OI or brittle bone disease takes 4-6 weeks to get the results and CPS will be VERY involved. Another option is for your husband to take a polygraph test - if he passes they may let him come home while waiting on the test results.
Please let me know how it goes for you - prayers being sent your way!!!
Hrtofluv

Thank you so much!!! I am sorry for your friend. I know too well how painful this is. The doctor did no testing for anything. When I asked about my son's eyes, he said that that was completley normal in an infant and that there was no bone deformity on the x rays to indicate anything other than abuse. As for my husband, he has volunteered, even insisted on a polygraph test. CPS refuses to let him take one. They said that they found he was the perpetrator in there investigation (all they did was go by the police reports, which contained a bunch of lies, and by the doctor report) and that was how it was. They are making both of us take psychological evaluations and then when we have another hearing in june, he might be allowed to come home.

Be forewarned - her son was taken out of the home - luckily her brother lived close by (next town) and he kept her son during the initial accusations (this past fall). She nor he were allowed to be alone with their son!!! Now it's just the dad since he was with the child while the mom was working. Now she is home with the baby, but her husband has to sleep at her parents house. AND get this - CPS has sent her a letter asking for child support for taking care of her son while he was in "protective custody". WHAT?! Yep - they are wanting her to pay for the time that her son was staying with her brother. CPS didn't pay him anything or pay for anything for the child - and they want her to pay them! What an outrage!
Anyway - best bet for you is if you have a pediatrician that you trust- have them check into a genetic disorder (namely OI). If you do a search on the web - look for blue schlera and you will see that it is NOT normal. There was one site that I had found that had a picture of a child with this condition - the eyes were a BIG factor. Also - I don't think OI shows on xrays, just the breaks that results from it. I would hate for your child to have this disease cause it would mean a hard life for him and you, but I understand how hard it is when someone is saying that you or your husband did this to him when you didn't. And I also have to say that even the lie detector tests can sometimes not be the best thing. I TRULY believe my friend and her husband, but his poly was questionable they determined - although none of the questionable stuff was related to taking care of their son.
So, what's a person to do. They are awaiting the genetic test results for OI.
Take care!
hrtofluv

CPS has also sent letters to my husband and I for child support. We never lost legal custody, CPS just wanted the boys to stay with a relative. They were out of the home for about 4 1/2 months. MY sons ped. says that there is no way he could have OI because he is growing and hasn't had a fracture since. (that we know of) She said OI babies do nor grow. I should also add that my son went for 4 months without growing. He was measuring the same length as when he was six weeks old. He only recently started to grow again. At this point, I dont know what to think or pray for. It seems like CPS is determined to keep our family split up one way or the other. One case worker told me that even if he did have a medical condition, that CPS would still fight to have him declared abused because she said something different must have happened because those are the only fractures he's had.

Hi, I am sorry to hear that. Your son possibly have a bone disorder. My grandmother now have oporestic however u spell it. I have to be careful and look out for her since her bone break easily. She broke her hip in october 2000. By tipping his shoe lace or my brother accidently step her shoe lace and my brother was upset. She still have alot of problem. I am only 14 year old and best luck and hope the doctor test for a bone diease. I know how u feel. Hope ur hard time get over soon and hope everything will be alright.
Best Luck

I had my sister over last night and While I was talking to her, I noticed that she also has blue sclera. The tint to hers still isnt as dark as I have seen in some cases, but it is definitley noticable. She is 16, so this is way past the age for it to be even considered normal. There is definitley something going on. I don't know why I never noticed it before. Maybe because I never realized that it could mean something. My son's geneticist drew the blood for the DNA test...now we have to wait. CPS is still trying to get a judge to declare him abused and my husband is not allowed home until our next court date in June and maybe not even then. I feel horrible because my boys are finally home and sometimes I get so stressed out. Its like I'm a single parent all the sudden. If my husband is with me, I have to supervise him at all times. No naps, no running to the store, no showers... its like I have no time to myself. I hate the way I feel, because I should just be happy that they are home! But my husband was the only one able to get me through all of this, and now its like I'm alone, I don't have him to lean on, and its not over yet :(

Has your sister ever had issues with her bones before? It is something that the geneticist should know though. I'm glad to hear that the DNA test has been started. Did they do the skin graph test too?
I also understand the burden of being a single parent - how hard it can be. My husband travels with is job and I am stuck with everything then. It's VERY hard somedays. Just remember it is short-term and everything will be fine come summer - keep praying.
I will keep praying for you too!
hrtofluv

i will pray for both of u. Hope everything go well.

iluvseannjoey!!!!!
Hey - got GREAT NEWS last night and couldn't wait to tell you this morning. My friend's case was DISMISSED!!!! Finally!
She told me that they finally saw the light, and realized how much more medical this case seemed! Anyway, thought you may enjoy this news! They are so thrilled that this nightmare...or at least this horrible part of it... is over! The baby's records are now at ST.Judes and they are still waiting on hearing something from them...
St Judes is a child cancer center (free to most) that are on the leading edge of treating childhood diseases - mainly cancers. They are on the opposite end of the state, but I'm sure any mom would drive across the country to ensure their child is getting the best care!!!!
Please keep me posted - you and my friend have been in prayers so much lately. It's worked for them - so hopefully it will for you too.
hrtofluv

Let me also state...
NO - we are not thrilled this child may have a form of OI, but at least her husband (who did NOT abuse the child) can live at home and help her during their child's upcoming diagnosis and possible treatments. And they don't have to face the stares of everyone in town who heard about only part of this case and stare at them like they are horrible monsters!!
Child abuse is the MOST offensive crime in my opinion and the predators should be locked up and punished for life (physical punishment too - not just sitting back and allowing the state let them run a care-free life). Yep - NEVER put me on a jury for a case with child abuse or that person would get the max sentence from me!!!
But when you are wrongly accused because your child has a medical condition is horrible. To KNOW your spouse didn't do it, yet since everyone is telling you he did - I still think it plants a seed of doubt - what an awful thing to do to a marriage, a parent, a child! And for a parent who knows they did nothing but love this child - to be praying that something medical could be wrong with their child - why that goes against everything you are - but you do it anyway to prove your innocence. Then the diagnosis comes down and you wonder if you should be happy or horrified. This diagnosis leads them down a path that is unthinkable, but at least they are together as a family.
Just wanted to make sure no one gets the wrong impression from my previous post.

I can understand what you are saying. I pray everyday for that DNA test to show something-and I feel horrible for it! But I don't know what else to do. I have known in my heart something was wrong with him before he even had the fractures. I am so happy for your friend! :) Has her child had any more fractures? I was doubting my son could have OI because he hasn't fractured since but I read that people with mild cases can go up to a few years without fractures. The geneticist has said that he thinks My boys and I have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. I don't know if this would cause fractures, but I have always had problems with my joints coming out of place. I fell the other day because my ankle slipped out of place. Both my sons' joints pop and it seems to run in my dad's side of the family. Several people on his side have had unusually easy fractures, but no one other my sister and my sons have blue sclera, and it is a light blue, not the dark almost purple I've seen in some people, and no one has had a lot of fractures, just ones that shouldn't have happened as easily as they did. My grandma broke a rib just by bumping into a car door when she was younger. I hope God forgives me for praying for a disease, but He knows more than anyone that we did not huurt our child. I have been praying for answers for so long! I just want to know how this happened! :confused: I too can't stand someone that would intentionally injure a defenseless child! Your job is to protect, not hurt them. I was abused as a child (which gives CSB more evidence since they say children who were abused grow up to abuse-NOT true!!!!!) and there is no way I would let someone hurt one of my own children or hurt them myself. I know how it feels. I just hope I will find some kind of answers and that this nightmare will end!

Hey - just checking in with you today to see how things are going.
Just wanted you to know that someone is thinking of you and prayers are being sent up in your name....
hrtofluv

Thank you Hrtofluv. You have no idea how much that means to me! Some people that know us aren't this supportive and I am a stranger to you. We are still holding on... there's still about two weeks left on the DNA test. I have noticed that it seems like my son's spine is starting to curve. Even the caseworker for CSB noticed and commented that this wasn't normal for a child his age. He seems to be doing okay, but he is still behind. He turned 7 months on the 21st and he still can barely roll over, sit up, or push himself up on his arms. He seems very alert, always smiles, its just the physical things he can't do. He seems to be growing better since he has come home so I was hoping he'd catch up on everything else, but it doesn't seem like he will quite yet.

gl pn the dna

We got the DNA test results yesterday. The doctors did find something, but they think it is a benign mutation. They want to do the test on both of us to make sure. If they find the same thing on one of us, then they consider it normal, if not, they will have to go back and figure out what it is. So we wait for four more weeks. Also, I was looking at a copy of x rays taken when my son was first born. He had to stay in the ICN for five days because he had breathing problems and cried all the time. I noticed that on these xrays, I can see small black lines going through the ribs. I got a copy of the ones done when we were accused and the lines from the first set match the same ribs and spots they say were fractured. Is it possible that this happened when my son was born? I had a c section, and for anyone that hasn't had one, I can tell you they pull and jerk the baby pretty hard. My back came off the table a couple of times. The problem is that I can't find anyone who will look at the films and try to see if this is a possibility. Everyone I have talked to refuses because they say its a child abuses case. The doctors who accused us of abuse wouldn't even let me see the films and what they were talking about. I know we did not do this to our son. I just don't know how to prove it

Sorry you son may have a mutation - but it could explain alot. But I don't understand. If his infant xrays showed the fractures then - then YES it was from the trauma of birth. Any chest xray they took for his breathing problems. As for his current xrays that they are refusing to let you see - HOW is this possible?! Wherever they took these xrays - tell them you are coming by and need copies of the xrays to take to an orthopedic surgeon out of town - they HAVE to give you copies!!!! If they still refuse, there should be the radiologist report that you should be able to get. You just need a copy of the report - detailing the fractures locations. Then compare it to the infant radiologist report. If they are reporting on the same ribs - you have your case there!!!!
And going out of town makes sense. You need to seek an independent doctor evaluation - someone who has not been involved thus far. Take ALL the xray films you have and let this new doc make a report on his diagnosis including the blue eyes.
You're his mom and you have the RIGHT to his medical records!!!!
Sorry for the vent - it's not at you (I hope you know) - it's just I'm stoked about this issue. Mainly because CPS focuses on cases like yours and my friends, but when they check into a case of documented bruises and then turn and let the dad go - let him get away with it. WHEW! I could just blow my top - the kid I'm talking about is in my son's class and they let his dad go. Not only did the kids (3 of them) have bruises and with one saying it was from where the dad had spanked her - he broke the mom's arm. Now tell me WHY!!!!!!
Well - please keep posting and letting me know how it's going. I'm praying they come to the right decision soon and you can get on with determining what to do medically for your child!!!!

The problem is that my sons newborn radiology report doesn't say anything about fractures. All it says is he has atelectasis(which i found can be caused by a chest injury) But I can see that there is definitely something there on those films that matches the other ones. The doctor said he looked at both sets, but when i read the medical reports, he said that looking at the ones from when he was born was basically a waste of time since there was no way the fractures could be that old. Another report said they were old and rehealing. How can something reheal if it hasn't been rebroke? and if thats the case, how do they really know how old theses fractures were? There are so many inconsistencies that anyone with half a brain cell should know something isn't right.My mother said I should sue the doc that delivered my son so that way, someone would have to look at both sets. I don't want to sue anyone, I just want to go on with our lives. They have postponed our court hearing indefinitely, so I have no idea when my husband will be allowed back into his own home. It was bad enough before that we had to wait until June, but now I have no idea when he will be home.

I agree you don't want to get your OB involved, especially if you like and want to have another child one day. But maybe your OB doc could be on your side if you suggest that if your son has possible OI, that his ribs could have broken during delivery then show him the films?! Not sure how close you got with yours, but if it were me - I'd try it in a heartbeat. Especially if it meant that the case would be dropped and your husband could come home.
That's why I had suggested an out-of-town doctor who hopefully would not be prejudicied going into the case. I know my friend's child is now going to be seen at St Jude's Hospital for Children. So - go online and see if you have any close children's hospitals and then look for a doctor associated with it. If you go look online for the OI websites then you might get more suggestions there from parents who have already dealt with these issues in the past.
I sure wish there was something I could do to help you out. Just remember I am here for you and here's a cyber HUGZZZZ!

We have thr final results in for the DNA tests and they say that my son does not have OI. My husband has been allowed to come home recently, but we are still dealing with CSB and the courts. And of course, we still have no explanation for how he was injured. His geneticist said something about he had temporary brittle bone disease, but CSB refuses to accept that. All I know is that we did not hurt our son and we will never say we did, which is what CSB wants. They say we can get this done and over with if we just admit he was abused, but he wasn't abused. I'm not sure I understand about this temporary brittle bone disease, but I don't see why they are so quick to dismiss it.

Did you consider getting a BMD test for him (bone mass density test)? I'm assuming they've done it already but if not I believe the test is only $150 if your insurance won't cover it. Not that $150 is cheap but it's not bad for a medical exam. Anyhow, the test is painless (just a bunch of x ray type scans) and should tell you if there is any density issue with his bones.
I'm very happy to hear your husband is home now and you can battle this together. Best of luck toyou.
:wave:
We have thr final results in for the DNA tests and they say that my son does not have OI. My husband has been allowed to come home recently, but we are still dealing with CSB and the courts. And of course, we still have no explanation for how he was injured. His geneticist said something about he had temporary brittle bone disease, but CSB refuses to accept that. All I know is that we did not hurt our son and we will never say we did, which is what CSB wants. They say we can get this done and over with if we just admit he was abused, but he wasn't abused. I'm not sure I understand about this temporary brittle bone disease, but I don't see why they are so quick to dismiss it.

I'm so sorry to hear about the issues that your having. The worst part is that no one is sure what is wrong.

Please go to the Paget Foundation web site and check the symtoms there is you haven't already. One possibility is osteopetrosis which is a rare bone disease that is so rare there is little information on it. I'm not a doctor but, there are only 25+ doctors in the US that work on this - the paget foundation website is a good resource to see if this is a possiblitity if you haven't already. It is brittle bone disease but, not all forms can be detected in bloodwork. It is also an inherited disease and sometimes can occur when two parents with the gene have a child.

www.paget.org

No did a BMD test on our son and he was taken away from us so quickly, we couldn't demand one. They said his bone mass was fine because it looked fine on the x rays. The doctor that said he was abused calls himself a child abuse "expert", and he is one of those doctors that think they are God. Basically, he could care less what happened to my son, he is just angry that we dared question his diagnosis and therefore to him that means we are guilty and must be hiding something. Doctors really need to look into finding out more about this because I am not the only one this has happened to. There is an entire website dedicated to parents wrongfully accused of abusing their children. Yes, I know child abuse does happen, but its even worse when children are separated from their families because of the arrogance and ignorance of the medical field. This is also child abuse. To let everyone know, I am back with my babies and we are done with court. My husband is home with us where he should be and we are trying our best to put this ugly mess behind us. It still saddens me that this will happen again to other innocent people. Maybe TBBD is real, and maybe doctors should look into it more. And for those who know in their hearts they did something and use this as an excuse, shame on them!! That is the reason child abuse is such a problem and innocent families are torn apart
Thank you everyone for being so supportive!

Dear iluvseannjoey.
I have just read through your posts & replies and my heart goes out to you. You have been through so much & have been very brave too.
My sister did her nursing degree and I know for a fact that quite a few baby's can be born with broken bones as she was at one birth that the doctors had to break the baby's arm to maintain a live birth. Not nice but sometimes it has to be done.
I am from England (WALES) & there has been alot of injustice over here regarding women that have been accused of killing or abusing their children. These commitals were on the word and expertease of One Paediactric doctor who was present at every single hearing that involved these wrongly convicted women. Then one mother got the right to appeal and blew the top off of all these convictions though it has taken a couple of years for these to get back to court. The convictions were quashed as this doctors testomy was seen as unsafe & he has now been up in front of the medical General board over here and has been relieved of his post as a doctor. Though this will never compensate to any woman or man unduly accused of child abuse it does lead the way for other parents like yourselves to question whether these doctors really do know what they are talking about. I think maybe you need to mention this to your solicitor/lawyer. The name of one of these women involved in the contraversy is Sally Clark who lives in Wilmslow, Cheshire UK.
You will be easily able to find out about the injustices over here because of the severity and number of women wrongly convicted & the public uproar which went with it.
I am under the Royal Orthapaedic Hospital in Birmingham for my Fibrous Dysplasia and my daughter has an appointment tomorrow regarding similar pain to myself and I have been told that they see people from all over the world so it might be worth maybe contacting them regarding your son. I have had a struggle with them myself but I think they just wanted to rule any other bone disease or illness before they start try to do something about the FD. I too have a curveture of the spine and it is a quite commen compaint for children but it is also seen with alot of bone diseases. I broke my arm when I was three years old and it was a severe break. The bone trapped my main archery in my arm & had my arm of been moved the archery most probably would of been damaged causing me to die. I could never understand how I ended up having such a severe break as all childrens bones until they reach puberty are actually cartlidge & are extremely hard to break!! they normally bend. As for these black lines on your childs xray at birth and even now are a definate sign of a break & it seems to me you really do need to turn this around & take out a prossection regarding your childs broken ribs at birth. There should be no injurery to your child what so ever with having a C section.
I will be praying that this nightmare will come to an end soon but you have to fight them all the way even when you feel you are getting nowhere.
I know it must be awful to maybe hope the doctors find something medically wrong with your child to prove that you have never hurt your child but by what you symptoms you have descibed there doed seem a problem & it needs a correct diagnosis.
I will have a look at all bone disease with the symptoms of you littlelen and will get back to you.
Keep your chin up. Clair xx