Scab on Toddler Back

It's totally possible but the girl is old enough to tell her father what's happening. He should just ask how she got those boo boos and be careful not to put ideas into her head about how it could have happened. If she thinks she's in trouble, she could say anything.

My son has really dry skin, just like me, and he will scratch himself raw and make it bleed, if I'm not careful to constantly cover him with lotion. He scratches his back when he's sleeping, or falling asleep. At first, he wasn't always aware that he was doing it, and then he was worried he would get in trouble, so he made up all kinds of stories about how it happened. When I calmly explained that he just has dry skin and I need his help to let me know when he's itchy, he was like, "yeah, I scratch my back ALL THE TIME." Now that I'm more vigilant about putting lotion on him after baths and whenever I notice dry skin, he doesn't even fuss at me about having to put on cream (which he used to hate).

I am CONSTANTLY scraping my back on my son's bed frame. What you are describing, is exactly what my "wounds" sound like. Those suckers take forever to heal, also! I am pretty thin, so you can kind of my vertebrae, like Jo mentioned. That's what I get every time. Dime shaped scabs from scraping the skin off.

I guess he could visit the Dr and take pictures., if he is truly concerned. But, tread lightly. You are not even the step mom, and you have no place in this. If your boyfriend is concerned, then HE can take her. YOU should stay out of it.

It sounds like a reasonable explaination to me. I have dry skin on my hands, so dry that it doesn't take much to scrape them and make them bleed. I just need to knock my knuckle against the edge of a cardboard box and the skin will scrape open.

Perhaps Dad could ask to see where on the bed she's getting scratched. He could offer to cover the rough spots on her bed with tape or something. That will give you an answer, too. I agree with the poster who said to ask the girl what's happening. If she says it's the bed, have her demonstrate how she gets under the bed. If you find it to be that, teach her a better way to move while under her bed. Maybe a doctor could look at it and see if it could be eczema. That can almost look like scabs.

At least on my kids you can count their vertebrae so it seems likely if she likes hiding under the bed.

I know I did that myself when I was a kid though it was my back scraping against the bed frame, not dry skin.

Anything can seem reasonable. But we don't really know. None of my family has ever run into this. What is mom's history? Is she on the "up & up", or is there reason to be worried?

If she's 3, she's old enough to answer simple, open ended questions that might help you figure out what's going on.

Personally, I don't get why it keeps happening. If she's getting hurt, and ripping her skin like that then why does mom keep on allowing her to play under the bed?

I would take a picture of whatever is there now. And next visit, if there is an after hours pediatrician or the pharmacy clinics (some have doctor offices, minute clinics, etc.) or something like that, take her. They would know more than we would. I have never had bad dry skin, so maybe the child does have something like that. But if it IS something not skin related, I would want to know ASAP. Document EVERYTHING. Have daddy talk to her when she is comfortable and happy to see what she says. Do not suggest anything at all, just let her talk about her ouchies.

Take her to the doctor, you want this documented in case it continues, mom could say it happens when she's with you.

I don't know what she's scratching her back on while playing under the bed, but if she gets scratched by something dirty it could cause an infection, leading to a scab. My gut is telling me this may not be the case, though.

Your boyfriend should talk to his daughter to see what she says, at 3 she should be able to explain it a bit. Don't put words in her mouth like "Did you scratch yourself under the bed?" but ask "How did you get the owie, boo-boo, etc. on your back? Does it hurt?"

And to see if it's dry skin get a skin cream specifically for dry skin, I use Nivea cream on my guy, it comes in a blue and white jar, and use it on her. Send some to mom's for her to use, if this continues to happen go back to the doctor, it's something else.

Stay out of it. It sounds like you are looking for trouble.

That sounds questionable to me. Most kids when playing don't get scratched up or scabs on their backs. Did you take pictures? If not, take them next time you see he rif you see anything else. Also, document what you saw each week and the size, shape etc. You may need to use that if this is pursued legally. Hope it isn't anything. But good for you to notice and ask.

Have you asked her what happened and if anything happened to her?