Citation

Leetch AN, Leipsic J, Woolridge DP. Child Adolesc. Psychiatr. Clin. N. Am. 2015; 24(1): 41-64.

Affiliation

Departments of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics, University of Arizona, 1501 North Campbell Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.chc.2014.09.006

PMID

25455575

Abstract

Emergency providers are confronted with medical, social, and legal dilemmas with each case of possible child maltreatment. Keeping a high clinical suspicion is key to diagnosing latent abuse. Child abuse, especially sexual abuse, is best handled by a multidisciplinary team including emergency providers, nurses, social workers, and law enforcement trained in caring for victims and handling forensic evidence. The role of the emergency provider in such cases is to identify abuse, facilitate a thorough investigation, treat medical needs, protect the patient, provide an unbiased medical consultation to law enforcement, and provide an ethical testimony if called to court.

Language: en