It's never easy to be faced with the "should I/shouldn't I" questions. 

I am not an IBCLC and can't speak to  your profession's specific ethical guidelines, but I would suspect that you would be ethically obligated to file a report. 

Moreover, it seems like you are in MI, and if that's the case, you are a mandated reporter as an RN and are legally required to report suspected neglect. Your identity is protected by law. 

http://www.michigan.gov/mobi/dhs/0,,7-124-7119_50648_44443-157836--,00.html


On a personal note, I have a friend whose child has multiple complex medical issues resulting in an extremely low weight. An out of town relative saw a Facebook picture of the baby and called DSS. While my friend was initially extremely angry, she was able to eventually calm down and see this as an expression of concern for her child's welfare. DSS ensured that the baby was under a physician' scare and that was the end of the investigation. 

If you are worried and your "spidey sense" is tingling, I would put the mandated reporter issue aside and call *because it is the right thing to do*. It takes a village to raise a child, and sometimes that means sounding the alarm when something seems off. 


 Elizabeth Boggs, MD
Women Physician Associates
Columbia SC 29203

Sent from my iPhone
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