Child Maltreatment Flashcards
which of the following is the greatest risk factor for child maltreatment in Canada
- caregiver diagnosed with a mental health condition
- family lives in public housing
- caregiver is a victim of intimate partner violence
- child has history of developmental delay
- caregiver history of alcohol abuse
caregiver is a victim of intimate partner violence
what are some risk factors for child abuse?
alcohol abuse * drug/solvent abuse * cognitive impairment mental health issues* physical health issues few social supports * victim of domestic violence ** history of foster care/group home
what are bruising red flags
mobile children:
- patterned bruising
- bilateral/symmetrical bruising
- bruises that are unusually large or numerous
- bruises that do not fit the mechanism described
- location
what locations are suspicious for bruising in mobile children?
ears
genitals
buttocks
feet
what are the recommended first line lab tests for bruising?
CBC = diff INR, PTT fibrinogen vXF studies (+blood group for interpretation) Factors VIII, IX liver function tests renal function tests
what are red flags for fractures
- fractures in a non-mobile child
- location- higher specificity fractures include: ribs (especially posterior) metaphases of long bones (corner/bucket fractures) scapula sternum vertebral spinous processes humerus in <18 mo femur in non-mobile
- multiple fractures
- fractures in different stages of healing
who should get a skeletal survey? (3)
child <24 months in whom physical abuse or severe neglect are suspected
often done in younger siblings when severe injuries in older child
consider in older children with gross motor delay (they can’t tell you they have pain)
what is the DDx for subdural hemorrhages
trauma (birth, accidental, inflicted)
coagulopathy (vWF disease, factor deficiencies VIII, IX, XIII, plt problems, fibrinogen disorders, vit k deficiency)
structural causes (AVM, aneurysms)
neoplastic (brain tumor, leukemia)
infectious- meningitis
genetic/metabolic- menkes disease, glutaric aciduria type I
benign enlargement of subarachnoid space
what is the most common sentinel injury in cases of child abuse?
bruising
what is a sentinel injury
a minor injury that is externally visible to caregivers or health care providers
most commonly bruises (80%) or intra-oral injuries (10%)
what does hymen transection indicate?
This finding is considered to be a definitive sign of past injury to the hymen (suggesting sexual abuse), which was torn through to the base of the hymen.
what is the most common form of child maltreatment?
neglect
What is the most significant risk factor for abuse?
The most significant risk factor for abuse is
the age of the child, with infants and toddlers being at
greatest risk for serious and fatal child physical abuse.
should infants have bruising?
Because infants are essentially nonmobile and nonweight-bearing, they should never have bruising
what causes classic metaphyseal lesions?
shearing of new bone at ends of long bone
- only seen in pre mobile infants
-highly associated with inflicted injury
typically from a yanking force in a non-mobile infant
what are red flags for fractures on history?
no history of trauma/unwitnessed changes with repetition of story delayed presentation age of child <1 presence of other injuries age or developmental stage, or mechanism does not fit with the injury
Ddx fracture
Trauma- MOST LIKELY
- accidental, birth, inflicted
Nutritional/metabolic
- vit d deficiency rickets
- osteopenia of prematurity
- copper deficiency (longterm TPN)
- chronic renal insufficiency
- scurvy
Genetic
- osteogenesis imperfecta
- menkes
Infection
- osteomyelitis
- congenital syphilis
Neoplastic
- leukemia
- bone tutor
- Langerhans cell histiocytosis
Toxicity
Hypervitaminosis A**
MTX
what is the bone health workup for concerns regarding fracture
CBC calcium, phosphate ALP, renal and liver function tests 25-OH vit D, PTH copper, ceruloplasmin OI testing (consider if enough concerning features)
what physical exam features make infants most at risk for abusive head trauma (3)
relatively large head
weak neck muscles
heavy brain
name 3 characteristic injuries for abusive head trauma?
intracranial hemorrhages
parenchymal brain injury
retinal hemorrhage
also skull/rib/metaphyseal fractures
what are the potential outcomes of AHT?
no apparent effect
developmental delay
seizures
death
what is the most common head injury resulting from abusive head trauma? what is the mechanism?
subdural hemorrhage
acceleration/decceleration or focal impact
can you date AHT on imaging?
NO
can monitor changes in head circumference percentiles or onset of symptoms
Ddx for subdural hemorrhage (4)
trauma!! **by far the most common cause
- accidental, birth, inflicted
bleeding disorder
metabolic disorder
- glutamic aciduria
structural
- large extra-axial spaces/rebleeds/AVMs
what features of retinal hemorrhages make you more worried for inflicted injury?
numerous
multi-layered
extend to the edge of the retina
when retinoschisis present (abnormal splitting of retinal layers)
occur in 75% of cases of AHT (not all cases but highly associated)
you have been asked to assess a 5 month old girl who’s twin is admitted to PICU for traumatic brain injury, suspected to be inflicted. What 3 investigations would you do?
head imaging- CT +/- MRI
skeletal survery
abdominal trauma labs (AST, ALT, Amylase)