TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2023//
TI  - Extensive tongue laceration in an edentulous infant: is it child abuse?
JO  - Ear, nose, and throat journal
A1  - Bernstein, Jeffrey D.
A1  - Kruczek, Sara
A1  - Laub, Natalie
A1  - Carvalho, Daniela
SP  - ePub
EP  - ePub
VL  - ePub
IS  - ePub
N2  - 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>
LA  - en
SN  - 0145-5613
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/01455613221149803
ID  - ref1
ER  -