Child abuse fatalities: are we missing opportunities for intervention?

摘要: OBJECTIVE: Child abuse is a leading cause of childhood morbidity and mortality often goes unrecognized until severe injury or death has occurred. This study describes cohort fatally abused children explores contacts with the health care community, which may represent missed opportunities for recognition intervention. METHODS: Homicide deaths in younger than 10 years were identified through medical examiners' records from 4-county area 1999 to 2002. Medical 3 children's hospitals searched visits by subjects before death. Subject demographics, death, patterns, person supervising child, recent community collected examiner hospital records. RESULTS: Forty-four cases identified, 37 (84%) 4 years. Further analysis focused on these subjects. Causes blunt head injury, 57%; torso 13%; gunshot wound, 11%; fire, 8%; drowning, poisoning, 3%. Fractures noted 9 (24%), 7 fractures at different stages healing. Eleven (30%) had documented reasons other routine well-child year their including (19%) such within month CONCLUSIONS: homicides this occurred primarily children, among whom most common was trauma. Almost 20% subgroup contact Some presentations are suspicious undiagnosed abusive injuries, which, if properly could serve as life-saving Language: en