Physical Indicators of Child Sexual Abuse (From American Psychiatric Press Review of Psychiatry, Volume 10, 1991, P 336-344, Allan Tasman, Stephen M. Goldfinger, eds. -- See NCJ-137524)

• NCJ Number: 137528
• Author(s): R D Krugman
• Date Published: 1991
• Length: 9 pages
• Sale Source: American Psychiatric Press, Inc
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This chapter identifies the physical indicators of child sexual abuse.

Abstract

Physical findings of sexually abused children remain variable. The medical diagnosis of child sexual abuse requires a willingness to consider the diagnosis of sexual abuse as a possibility, an ability to take a complete medical and behavioral history and to perform a genital and rectal examination as part of a general physical examination and to recognize findings that have been associated with sexual abuse, and the ability to interpret laboratory studies for sexually transmitted diseases, semen, sperm, or other indicators of acute sexual assault. Presentations of sexual abuse include general statements by children about sexual matters or sexualized behaviors with dolls, toys, or other objects; a direct statement about sexual molestation; behavioral changes such as sleep disturbances, changes in school performance, the onset of phobias, depression, suicidal behavior, substance abuse, and eating disorders; and medical symptoms that raise the suspicion of sexual abuse or that are diagnostic of sexual abuse. 1 table and 18 references