Maryland Mom Discovers 4-Year-Old Nonverbal Son Was Bitten at School — No Call from Teachers

A Maryland mother is speaking out after she arrived to pick up her 4-year-old nonverbal son from school, only to discover he had been bitten by one of his classmates during the school day.

No one from the school called her. No teacher reached out. She found out on her own at pickup, left to imagine everything her son went through while she had no idea.

Her son, who is nonverbal, cannot tell her what happened, who did it, how bad it hurt, or whether anyone comforted him. That silence is what makes this situation so painful and so serious.

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For parents of nonverbal children, the school is not just a place of learning. It is a place where they have to fully trust the adults in charge, because their child cannot advocate for themselves.

She turned to the Autism Mom Support and Awareness Group on Facebook to ask how she should handle the situation with the school system. The responses came quickly, and they were clear.

Yoana Chairez told her simply,

“Do everything thru email. Make a paper trail.”

It is advice that every special needs parent should hear. When dealing with schools, verbal conversations can be forgotten or denied. Emails create a record that cannot be erased.

Other Parents Know This Pain All Too Well

Brionna Sherree Goldston shared that her own 4-year-old nonverbal son was bitten on his second day of school. She addressed it directly with the teacher and made it known that it was not acceptable.

My baby 4 and nonverbal too he literally got bit his 2nd day of school 😩tbh, I addressed it with the teacher and let it be known I don’t play about my baby and to keep the child away from my son they said she’s a “biter”. It hasn’t happened again since. Speak up for him and address it with the teacher and principal.i told them it better not happen again or else somebody would be hurt just like him🤷🏽‍♀️and it didn’t happen since

She added that her baby still had the bruise from where he was bitten, describing how scary it is for parents in this situation who cannot get the full story from their own child.

When the original mom asked how to go about handling it, Brionna encouraged her to speak up firmly and not let it go unaddressed.

Emily McAdam advised her to go straight to the principal and report the incident, stating that it should not happen to any student regardless of their situation.

I would talk to the principal and report. That should not happen to any student

What Should Happen Next

Schools have a duty of care for every child in their building. When a child is injured on school grounds, parents must be notified immediately. This is especially critical when the child is nonverbal and cannot communicate what happened at home.

Failing to make that call is not a small oversight. It is a breakdown in the basic responsibility schools have toward vulnerable children and their families.

This mother is now faced with demanding answers from a system that already failed her once. She plans to document everything, go through the email, and escalate to the principal. Other parents in her community are standing behind her.

Her son deserved better than that day. Every child does.