Child Abuse Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Child Abuse, including details on family violence, examinations, long-term effects, psychiatrics disorders.

Forced suffocation of infants with baby wipes: A previously undescribed form of child abuse.

Krugman SD, Lantz PE, Sinal S, De Jong AR, Coffman K

Department of Pediatrics, Franklin Square Hospital Center, 9000 Franklin Square Dr., Baltimore, MD 21237, USA.

BACKGROUND: Foreign body aspiration in children is commonly seen in emergency departments and carries a significant mortality. Abusive foreign body suffocation is not well described. METHODS: We present a case-series of four infants who presented with aspiration of a baby wipe. RESULTS: Each child was found to be a victim of child physical abuse with substantial morbidity and mortality associated with the aspiration of the wipe and associated injuries. CONCLUSIONS: We recommend that infants who present with a baby wipe aspiration should be considered as likely victims of child abuse and physicians should evaluate each infant for associated injuries of the oropharynx, skin, skeleton, and head.

Published 23 July 2007 in Child Abuse Negl, 31(6): 615-21.
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