Get 20M+ Full-Text Papers For Less Than $1.50/day. Start a 14-Day Trial for You or Your Team.

Learn More →

A Practical Guide to the Evaluation of Child Physical Abuse and NeglectSkin Injury: Bruises and Burns

A Practical Guide to the Evaluation of Child Physical Abuse and Neglect: Skin Injury: Bruises and... [Careful examination of the child’s skin is an essential component of the abuse evaluation. Injuries to the skin are common findings in maltreated children and may include (a) contusions (bruises), abrasions, and lacerations; (b) burns from scalding, direct contact with flame or hot objects, and electricity; (c) frostbite (O’Neill et al., J Trauma 13: 332–339, 1973); and (d) scars resulting from these injuries (Richardson, Cutaneous manifestations of abuse. In: Reece RM (ed) Child abuse: medical diagnosis and management. Lea & Febiger, Philadelphia, pp 167–184, 1994). In one study examining the injuries of 616 children suspected of having been abused, at least 80% of the 775 primary injuries involved the skin, including (a) bruises/ecchymoses/hematomas (56%), (b) erythema/marks (9%), (c) burns (8%), and (d) abrasions/scratches (7%) (Johnson and Showers, Child Abuse Negl 9, 207–215, 1985). Ellerstein (J Dis Child 133, 906–909, 1979, Dermatologic manifestations of child abuse and neglect. In: Ellerstein NS (ed), Child abuse and neglect: a medical reference. Wiley, New York, 1981) noted the importance of cutaneous findings in maltreated children, because the recognition of these easily observed injuries by the child’s relatives, neighbors, and schoolteachers may trigger contact with the healthcare provider. Healthcare providers evaluating children with suspicious skin findings need to consider physical abuse and/or neglect as a potential etiology and pursue a thorough evaluation.] http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png

A Practical Guide to the Evaluation of Child Physical Abuse and NeglectSkin Injury: Bruises and Burns

Editors: Giardino, Angelo P.; Lyn, Michelle A.; Giardino, Eileen R.

Loading next page...
 
/lp/springer-journals/a-practical-guide-to-the-evaluation-of-child-physical-abuse-and-hO88DnEeGJ

References (11)

  • LS Ahlgren (1990)

    682

  • JF Casella (1990)

    1550

  • American Board of Forensic Odontology (2000)

    628

    Journal of Emergency Nursing, 26

  • J Bays (1994)

    358

  • RF Carpenter (1999)

    363

    Archives of Disease in Childhood, 80

  • C Ayoub (1979)

    910

    American Journal of Diseases of Children, 133

  • RC Alexander (1987)

    255

    Pediatrics, 79

  • MS Baptiste (1980)

    727

    American Journal of Public Health, 70

  • American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect (2002)

    644

    Pediatrics, 110

  • CW Christian (2015)

    e1337

    Pediatrics, 136

  • K Coffman (1985)

    239

    American Journal of Diseases of Children, 139

Publisher
Springer International Publishing
Copyright
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019
ISBN
978-3-030-00634-1
Pages
77 –131
DOI
10.1007/978-3-030-00635-8_3
Publisher site
See Chapter on Publisher Site

Abstract

[Careful examination of the child’s skin is an essential component of the abuse evaluation. Injuries to the skin are common findings in maltreated children and may include (a) contusions (bruises), abrasions, and lacerations; (b) burns from scalding, direct contact with flame or hot objects, and electricity; (c) frostbite (O’Neill et al., J Trauma 13: 332–339, 1973); and (d) scars resulting from these injuries (Richardson, Cutaneous manifestations of abuse. In: Reece RM (ed) Child abuse: medical diagnosis and management. Lea & Febiger, Philadelphia, pp 167–184, 1994). In one study examining the injuries of 616 children suspected of having been abused, at least 80% of the 775 primary injuries involved the skin, including (a) bruises/ecchymoses/hematomas (56%), (b) erythema/marks (9%), (c) burns (8%), and (d) abrasions/scratches (7%) (Johnson and Showers, Child Abuse Negl 9, 207–215, 1985). Ellerstein (J Dis Child 133, 906–909, 1979, Dermatologic manifestations of child abuse and neglect. In: Ellerstein NS (ed), Child abuse and neglect: a medical reference. Wiley, New York, 1981) noted the importance of cutaneous findings in maltreated children, because the recognition of these easily observed injuries by the child’s relatives, neighbors, and schoolteachers may trigger contact with the healthcare provider. Healthcare providers evaluating children with suspicious skin findings need to consider physical abuse and/or neglect as a potential etiology and pursue a thorough evaluation.]

Published: Dec 12, 2018

Keywords: Bruises; Injury; Burns; Bites

There are no references for this article.