A dog bite on a child can cause serious physical and emotional injuries. Children are the most likely victims of dog bites and dog attacks. The Humane Society estimates that up to 51% of dog attack victims are children. So, as a parent, it’s important you know how to protect and support your child after a dog bite.
As an experienced Philadelphia dog bite lawyer for child bite cases, Jeffrey Penneys works with children and their families during the dog bite recovery process.
Let’s explore how to help your child recover after an attack.
Learn the Signs of Dog Bite Trauma
A dog bite can be a traumatic experience, particularly for young children with a limited understanding of what caused the dog to bite. After a dog bite, your child may need to speak with a therapist for assistance overcoming their psychological trauma. Learning and analyzing the signs of trauma in children can help you make the right decision about the next steps.
Potential signs of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in children may include:
- Trouble sleeping
- Inability to pay attention at school
- Withdrawing from social activities with friends and family
- Avoiding the location in which the bite took place
- Fear of darkness and unknown environments
Only a licensed therapist can diagnose and treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and its symptoms. By recognizing these signs, you can book your child a session with a therapist to determine the next steps in their recovery process.
A Child’s Understanding of Dog Safety
One of the major concerns parents have after their child suffers a dog bite is that their child will be fearful for the rest of their life and may be unable to enjoy their life if dogs are in their immediate environment. The fear can present a challenge when taking a child to the park or to a friend’s house if the family has a dog.
By teaching your children about dog behavior and dog safety, you can help them understand the animal’s actions and how, in most cases, dogs will not attack unless they are under threat or in fear.
Working with your child’s therapist, you can help re-introduce your child to everyday activities in which dogs might be present.
The following guidance can help your child develop a healthy relationship with the dogs they may encounter in everyday life.
- Ask the dog’s owner if you can pet the dog
- If a dog is eating or playing with a toy, give the animal space
- Approach the animal slowly
- Allow the dog to sniff you before you move toward petting it
Get Expert Child Dog Bite Case Advice
While there are steps you can take to safeguard your child after a dog attack, it should not be your responsibility to pay for psychologists and other specialist medical professionals when other parties are responsible.
Pennsylvania dog bite lawyer Jeffrey Penneys has over two decades of experience helping families across the state recover from dog bite attacks.
A recent example of Jeffrey Penneys’ work on child bite cases was the $450,000 dog bite settlement he won for a Philadelphia family whose child sustained injuries after an attack by a German Shepherd.
He works for Pennsylvania families to analyze their dog bite cases and ensure responsible parties pay for the pain, suffering, and mental health challenges children can face during their recovery process.
To explore your dog bite case options, call Jeffrey Penneys and his team for your free, no-obligation case review.