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.

Cutaneous signs of child abuse.

Swerdlin A, Berkowitz C, Craft N

Division of Dermatology, Harbor-University of California Los Angeles Medical Center, USA.

Maltreatment of children is a major public health crisis, and it is estimated that each year more than 3 million children are victims of abuse. Safeguarding the welfare of children is a priority, and it is the moral and ethical responsibility of healthcare professionals to detect cases of abuse and intervene appropriately to prevent further harm. Clinicians are often challenged to differentiate signs of child abuse from skin conditions that mimic maltreatment. Because cutaneous injury represents the most recognizable and common form of abuse, dermatologists are often called upon to help distinguish signs of intentional injury from skin conditions that mimic maltreatment. However, few resources specific to dermatologic signs of abuse exist to aid in diagnosis. A review of the literature will provide an educational resource to assist dermatologists and other clinicians in differentiating cutaneous signs of child abuse, including physical and sexual abuse, from mimickers of inflicted injury. LEARNING OBJECTIVE: After completing this learning activity, participants should be able to distinguish signs of intentional injury from skin conditions that mimic maltreatment and understand the clinician's role in the diagnosis and reporting of cases of suspected child abuse.

Published 20 August 2007 in J Am Acad Dermatol, 57(3): 371-92.
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