Over the next two weeks, Ben sometimes seemed more restless after staying with Grandpa. But with a three-year-old, that
could mean anything. Sleepiness. Hunger. Being tired.
He was too young to explain clearly what had happened during the day, what hurt, or why he was uncomfortable.
Then one afternoon, I came home from work almost an hour earlier than usual.
The front door was unlocked.
The moment I stepped inside, I smelled something strange coming from the kitchen.
Then I heard Ben crying. I ran in. And froze.
My father had Ben sitting on a chair.
My son was fully dressed, but one pant leg had been rolled up slightly.
There was a brown substance on his lower leg. On the table sat a small bottle of iodine, an egg, some cotton, and a little
bowl.
First aid supplies
“What are you doing?”
Dad turned around.
“Sarah, wait.”
I rushed toward Ben. Part of his skin was red. Ben was crying and trying to pull his leg away.
“Get away from him.”
“Listen to me.”
“What did you put on my child?”
Skin health blog
“It’s an old home remedy. I thought maybe…”
I stared at him in disbelief.
“You thought? On my three-year-old?”
Child health information
“I wasn’t trying to hurt him.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me?”
Dad went silent.
That silence frightened me more than anything. I picked Ben up, grabbed my bag, and headed for the door. Dad called after
me.
“Take the notebook.”
I didn’t even turn around.
“I don’t need your notebook.”
“Sarah, trust me. Take it.”
I left without it.
I drove straight to the hospital.
Emergency room tips
A doctor examined Ben’s leg.
Thankfully, the redness was only mild skin irritation.
“Don’t use home mixtures like this on a child’s skin,” the doctor said. “Especially without medical advice.”
I felt embarrassed even though I hadn’t done it.
“I didn’t. His grandfather did.”
The doctor was about to finish the examination when Ben climbed down from the table and walked toward me.
Suddenly, the doctor watched him carefully.
Skin health blog
