@article{ref1,
title="Extensive tongue laceration in an edentulous infant: is it child abuse?",
journal="Ear, nose, and throat journal",
year="2023",
author="Bernstein, Jeffrey D. and Kruczek, Sara and Laub, Natalie and Carvalho, Daniela",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="It is important for medical providers to distinguish between accidental and abusive mechanisms of injury in children. In the absence of a serious trauma, an isolated tongue laceration and oromaxillofacial trauma in a young, edentulous infant raises significant concern for abuse. The presented case demonstrates a unique injury pattern and serves as an opportunity to explore the multidisciplinary approach to infant trauma in Otolaryngology. Presented is an edentulous infant who sustained a deep splitting laceration of the oral tongue as a result of being dropped a short distance onto carpeted floor. This injury pattern, in the absence of other trauma, raised concern for abuse. Hospital social work and Child Abuse Pediatrics further investigated the matter. A surveillance camera video was produced which demonstrated the blunt force of the fall, coupled with the friction sliding on the floor, ripped open the infant's tongue and left a pattern otherwise suspicious for sharp object laceration. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing a full-thickness tongue laceration after a fall from a caregiver's arms onto carpeted ground. This case underscores the responsibility of the astute provider coupled with a multidisciplinary team to identify or rule out potential child abuse.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0145-5613",
doi="10.1177/01455613221149803",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/01455613221149803"
}