NCJ Number
226515
Journal
Journal of Forensic Nursing Volume: 5 Issue: 1 Dated: 2009 Pages: 18-25
Date Published
2009
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This study examined the injury patterns described in the autopsy reports of nine young children who died as a result of abuse.
Abstract
Based on the findings from these case studies, the author advises that if an infant in the 0-3-month age group is brought to a health-care provider (HCP) with cutaneous contusions about the face, scalp, neck, and/or head, this should raise suspicions of abuse regardless of the explanation given for the injuries by parents/caregivers. A thorough physical examination of the infant should be conducted to look for additional signs of physical abuse. A child in the 9-12-month age group presenting to a HCP with facial bruising combined with contusions about the trunk around the nipple line should raise suspicion of abuse, prompting further investigation into the cause of the injuries. A child in the 15-18-month age group who presents to a HCP with head and facial contusions in addition to a lacerated frenulum, contusions on the upper arms or lower legs, and bruising to the buttocks should prompt a more thorough examination to determine how these injuries occurred. A child in the 18-24-month age category presenting to a HCP with contusions to the face, ears, head, cheeks, and buttocks should prompt thorough questioning about injury causes and an examination of the abdomen and fingers. This information from the autopsies of children killed by physical abuse provides information on the physical evidence of abuse that places a child at serious risk, warranting a thorough investigation and potential intervention. The nine cases examined occurred in an urban/rural county of a Midwestern State during the 10-year span from 1992 to 2002. 27 references