Abusive Head Trauma at a Tertiary Care Children's Hospital in Mexico City: A Preliminary Study

• NCJ Number: 237018
• Journal: Child Abuse & Neglect Volume: 35 Issue: 11 Dated: November 2011 Pages: 915-923
• Author(s): Claudia Diaz-Olaverrieta; Corina A. Garcia-Pina; Arturo Loredo-Abdala; Francisco Paz; Sandra G. Garcia; Astrid Schilmann
• Date Published: November 2011
• Length: 9 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom

Annotation

This study examined the prevalence, clinical signs, symptoms, and socio-demographic characteristics of abusive head trauma cases in children who presented for care at a tertiary care hospital in Mexico City, Mexico.

Abstract

Of the sample of children treated for head trauma at a tertiary care hospital in Mexico City, 11 percent were diagnosed with abusive head trauma (AbHT), while 89 percent were diagnosed with accidental head injury (AcHI). Socio-demographic characteristics of those in the AbHT group included a mean age of 8 months, being female, having a young mother (age 17-19), and being the result of the first unintended pregnancy. In addition, 38 percent of the children in the AbHT group did not survive their injuries, while the remainder suffered from greater neurological and respiratory problems. This study examined the prevalence, clinical signs, symptoms, and socio-demographic characteristics of AbHT cases in children who presented for treatment at a tertiary care hospital in Mexico City. Data for the study were obtained from a sample of children under age 5 (n=120) who received care for head trauma at the National Institute of Pediatrics between April 2004 and September 2005. The findings indicate that children who present with AbHT are more likely to be the result of unintended pregnancies among teen mothers and have fathers with a substance abuse problem. Tables and references