Undiagnosed abuse in children younger than 3 years with femoral fracture

Article Abstract:

Many young children seen with traumatic injuries are probable victims of child abuse. Physicians must be alert to this possibility, and are charged with an obligation to report such incidents. For children under the age of one year, abuse is the leading cause of death. In many cases a pattern of injuries (e.g., multiple fractures, burns or welts) can easily be identified by medical personnel, but for children who are seen for a single injury, abuse is much more difficult to be certain of. Femoral fracture (a broken thigh bone) is common in cases of abuse, and the evaluation of this condition as a symptom of child abuse is discussed. A retrospective study included 138 children under the age of three who were seen for a femoral fracture. Demographic data as well as medical histories and results of social service investigations were collected. Cases were classified at admission of the patients for treatment as follows: accident (22 percent); underlying disease (8 percent); abuse (10 percent); and unknown cases (60 percent). After considerable investigation the cases of unknown origin were found to contain an additional 29 cases of abuse. In all the rate of cases of fracture due to abuse was found to be 31 percent (43 of 138 cases). Physicians seeing children under the age of three for a fracture of the femur should be suspicious of child abuse. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Statistics, Abused children, Identification and classification, Fractures (Injuries), Femur

---

Analysis of Missed Cases of Abusive Head Trauma

Article Abstract:

Doctors may be missing the signs of child abuse in many children with head injuries. Researchers reviewed the medical records of 173 young children with head injuries caused by child abuse at one hospital over a six-year period. Thirty-one percent of the children had been seen by a doctor before with a similar injury, but the doctor had not suspected child abuse. Forty-one percent had a medical complication from the previous injury and 28% were injured again after the missed diagnosis. Five of these children died and four of the deaths could have been prevented if the diagnosis had not been missed.

Care and treatment, Injuries, Children, Pediatric injuries, Head injuries

---

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: Parental attitudes and knowledge of child safety: a national survey. part 2 Brain injuries among infants, children, adolescents and young adults
• Abstracts: Total and differential leukocyte counts in clinically well children. part 2 Improper mixing of formula due to reuse of hospital bottles
• Abstracts: Serum and tissue magnesium concentrations in patients with heart failure and serious ventricular arrhythmias. The premature ventricular complex as a diagnostic aid
• Abstracts: Concurrent habits: what would Linus do with his blanket if his thumb-sucking were treated? Do children with primary nocturnal enuresis have clinically significant behavior problems?

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.