Battered-child syndrome - Altmeyers Encyclopedia

Definition
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Multiple traumas in children, especially infants, caused by maltreatment.

Clinical features
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Multiple haematomas due to bruising, bite marks or injuries that reflect an inorganic pattern. Also repeated multiple bone fractures, strangulation marks, atypical burns (e.g. from cigarettes), indications of sexual abuse.

Differential diagnosis
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Artifacts

Therapy
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Mistreatment as a cause of the physical condition of a child is often not clearly demonstrable. The proof is often made more difficult by the fact that the doctor usually has to communicate with the parents (possibly with the offender himself) about the course of events. In the following, steps are listed which the doctor should take if there is a justified reason for maltreatment:

Information and counselling: In most cities there are facilities that can serve as a contact point for the doctor as well as the person affected or contact persons. These are often connected to children's clinics.
Addresses and information can usually be obtained anonymously via the local youth welfare office without reporting the concrete suspicion.
In some cases, parents can be persuaded to visit special counselling centres, e.g. educational counselling centres.
Referral to a clinic: In an inpatient setting, there are more possibilities and time to clarify the suspicion of mistreatment.
Remember! Report the case to the Youth Welfare Office.