NCJ Number
139343
Editor(s)
S Ludwig,
A E Kornberg
Date Published
1992
Length
582 pages
Annotation
This book, intended for medical professionals and other professionals who deal with the clinical aspects of child abuse, provides guidance on specific medical signs and symptoms that indicate various forms of child abuse and neglect may have occurred.
Abstract
The edition opens with general topics on child abuse, including definitions, etiology, epidemiology, history, and the multidisciplinary approach to child abuse and neglect. A chapter on the biomechanics of child abuse is also included. A section on physical abuse contains chapters on various physical symptoms that suggest child abuse. Topics addressed are skin and soft tissue injuries, burn injuries, neurosurgical aspects of child abuse, thoracoabdominal trauma, radiographic signs of skeletal trauma, dental trauma and bite mark evaluation, ophthalmologic manifestations, and unusual injuries. A section on sexual abuse contains chapters that address special problems in caring for the sexually abused child; genital and anal trauma; sexually transmitted diseases; specimen collection in sexual abuse; special interviewing techniques; and sex rings, pornography, and prostitution. A section on child neglect considers failure-to-thrive/starvation, the nature of child neglect, perinatal abuse, and other forms of neglect. Two chapters that discuss psychological abuse consider acute psychiatric manifestations of abuse and chronic psychological manifestations. The final section covers forensic issues, including the court and judicial system, forensic pathology findings, foster care, and medical photography. Appended interdisciplinary glossary, State law summary, autopsy protocol for child deaths, diagnostic imaging guidelines, national organization, guidelines for the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases, normal developmental milestones, and growth curves, chapter suggested readings, and a subject index