Journal of Community Medicine & Health Education
Open Access

Abstract

Child abuse is a problem that is frequently under diagnosed. Recognition that under diagnosis of abuse exists has produced an increase frequency of identifying cases of child abuse, which has inevitably produced cases of over diagnosis. Over diagnosis of child abuse is as catastrophic as under diagnosis. This review focuses on specific presentation of child abuse- the child with bruises and other conditions that can present similar to child abuse. Many children and adults have coagulation or vascular disorders or connective tissue diseases that predispose them to bruise and other lesions that can be mistaken for abuse. It is very easy for a health care worker to presume that bruising and bleeding are associated with trauma, because of other conditions that may explain that the findings are often poorly understood. The clinical cases reviewed in this article show the need for an extremely thorough analysis for other underlying conditions that can be present in a picture that can simulate child abuse.

Biography

Yasser Nakhlawi, is MD, MMM, CMQ, FAAP, Chairman of Pediatric Institute at SKMC, United Arab Emirates, Hospital & Health Care.