Battered child syndrome
Key points
- Battered child syndrome refers to children who have undergone physical abuse that has left them with both physical and psychological trauma.
- Physical abuse of children occurs in every socioeconomic class, though it is most common amongst the poor due to increased stress and greater lack of control over stressful circumstances.
- Physical injuries are treated as appropriate for the specific injury.
- Support groups are available for survivors of abuse and for abusive parents who want to get help.
Alternative names
Non-accidental trauma (NAT); Child abuse
Definition
Battered child syndrome refers to children who have undergone physical abuse that has left them with both physical and psychological trauma.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Physical abuse of children occurs in every socioeconomic class, though it is most common amongst the poor due to increased stress and greater lack of control over stressful circumstances.
Abuse tends to occur at moments of greatest stress, when the perpetrator strikes out in anger at the child. Many perpetrators were themselves abused as children and they often don't realize that abuse is not appropriate discipline. Abusers also frequently have poor impulse control, which prevents them from thinking through the consequences of their actions.
Because of the relative size and strength difference between adults and children, the abused child can be severely injured or killed unintentionally. Shaking an infant, for example, can cause bleeding over the brain (subdural hematoma) which can cause permanent brain damage or death (shaken baby syndrome).
The incidence of child abuse is remarkably high. The total abuse rate is 25.2 per 1,000 children with physical abuse counting for 5.7 per 1000, sexual abuse 2.5 per 1,000, emotional abuse 3.4 per 1000 and neglect accounting for the vast majority, 15.9 per 1,000 children. Of course, these categories often overlap, with sexual and physical abuse often occurring together and with sexual abuse, physical abuse or neglect seldom occurring without emotional abuse.
These numbers may also be underestimates due to failure to diagnose or report this problem. Risk factors include poverty, lack of education, single parenthood, alcoholism or other drug addictions and a host of other factors.
Symptoms
- Appearance at an emergency room with an injured child and one or both of the following:
o An improbable explanation of the cause of the injury
o An injury that is not recent - Bruise marks shaped like hands, fingers, or objects (such as a belt)
- Specific patterns of scalding (seen when a conscious child is immersed in hot water)
- Burns from an electric stove, radiator, heater or other hot objects on the child's hands or buttocks
- Cigarette burns on exposed areas or the genitals
- Black eyes in an infant
- Human bite marks
- Lash marks
- Choke marks around neck
Written and revised by
Gerald Hurowitz, M.D.
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