unexplained fractures - Bone Disorders Message Board

iluvseannjoey · 04-06-2005, 09:45 PM

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.

hrtofluv · 04-07-2005, 08:17 AM

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

iluvseannjoey · 04-07-2005, 03:05 PM

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.

hrtofluv · 04-07-2005, 03:29 PM

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

iluvseannjoey · 04-07-2005, 06:20 PM

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.