Diagnosis and Management of Child Abuse

Abstract

Child abuse is a serious, frequent, and probably underestimated phenomenon. Emergency room and intensive care units are among the most affected hospital units by these situations. To think about it and to diagnose child abuse are sometimes difficult. Child abuse includes physical, psychological, and sexual abuse, important carelessness and Munchausen syndrome by proxy. Diagnosis of child abuse is based on clinical signs, risk factors, interviews, and behaviors of the child and his family. This assessment and management of child abuse are multidisciplinary, in collaboration with institutional partners (Mother and Child Protection services, Law services), and should be based on the duty of care, protection, and support of the child. The transmission of information to the legal authorities, and the protection of those children is a legal duty for physicians. French “Haute Autorité de santé” (Health Authority) has recently written recommendations on child abuse management.