Bruise question

[Amy Beth]

I need some help. Can anyone tell me how long bruise marks on a 4 year olds legs would last? The child is African American and was beaten with a belt, strap or ruler about 1.25 inches wide. Supposdly it happened in June/July but was still very visible at this present date. There was still some small red scabs along the edges where the instrument had cut into his legs. Any help would be greatly apprieciated.

 

[Djanaba]

Whoever gave you the information about when the incident happend is lying, or poorly informed. My best guess is within the last 2 or 3 weeks, unless the child has another medical issue that leaves the child prone to bruising or slow healing. I've had bruises that lasted quite a while, but not THAT long. Kids are usually pretty resilient; even their black eyes go away and fade to lighter colors in a week. I am sure someone can give a better summary of bruise resolution, but red flags are popping up all over here.

 

[Socceroo4ever]

Just a guess... would the kid be anemic? Sickle-cell anemia? Mightn't other blood disorders cause slow bruise healing?