| name: | Battered Child Syndrome |
| also known as: | Non-Accidental Trauma; NAT; Battered Child |
| also see: | Shaken Baby Syndrome; Child Abuse; Family Violence/Abuse/Neglect; ICD |
| description: | Battered child syndrome refers to a constellation of signs and symptoms from child abuse, that results in both physical and psychological harm to a child. Child abuse can include any or all of the following: physical, emotional, psychological, and sexual abuse, as well as exploitation, neglect, or maltreatment of a child by a parent or guardian who is responsible for that child's well-being. Risk is increased when the parent or guardian were, themselves, abused or neglected as a child, or if the perpetrator is under severe stress, financial stress, poverty, alcoholism, poor education, or a single parent. However, child abuse can occur in all walks of life. The incidence is reported to be about 25 children per 1000, or 2.5% which is frightfully high. Signs and symptoms that might suggest battered child syndrome include a child showing up to the emergency room with a mechanism of injury that doesn't make sense, a child showing up in the emergency room with an old injury, multiple bruises, cigarette burns, scalding burns, burns on the butt or hands. |
| signs & symptoms: | In addition to some of the signs as described above, general symptoms might include an injury, fractures especially in an infant too young to walk or crawl, bruise marks shaped like belts, hands, or utensils, cigarette burns, electrical burns, patterns of scalding burns such as being place in a hot bathtub, twisting wrist sprains, neck choke marks, human bite marks, black eye in an infant, altered consciousness, unconsciousness, coma, bulging soft spot on an infant's skull. |
| diagnosis: | Based on signs, symptoms, history and exam, as well as eye exam looking for retinal bleeding (shaken baby syndrome), x-rays, and if needed, brain CT Scan or MRI Scan. Additional studies might include scans of the abdomen and chest looking for internal organ injury (liver injury, spleen injury, and kidney injury). |
| treatment: | All cases of child abuse must be reported: It is the Law. Physicians and healthcare providers are required by law to report incidents and suspected incidents to the authorities, and are granted immunity from liability and suit. Parents or guardians need to initially be approached in a supportive manner rather than in an accusatory manner. Temporary removal of the child from the home or environment is almost always mandatory. A social worker is brought into the situation, as is the social service. Additional care includes pediatrics and psychiatry, as well as the Child Protective Agency through the courts. |
| prevention: | Prevention includes identifying at-risk situations which is not always easy. These include parents or guardians who themselves were abused, young parents, especially teenage mothers as well as first time parents are more likely to neglect or abuse their children. Failure to bond is also a factor. |
| outcome: | Varies depending upon the severity of the injuries or problem. |
skynetMD suggests the following:
| if: | If a healthcare provider, person, or friend feels a child has been or is being abused, or, a child has been or is being neglected |
| go to: | Go to the phone and call the local social services or police department. |
Last updated 5/26/2008