Child Abuse

Educational Tools/Resources 

Physical Abuse and Neglect 

• Diagnosis and Management of Physical Abuse in Children (2013).
  • This article offers facts about child abuse and neglect, and diagnostic and treatment guidelines.
• Improving Communication With Families for Evaluation of Child Abuse (2020).
  • This article promotes a standardized guideline for the evaluation of child abuse to ensure more comprehensive, evidence-based evaluations and reduce bias and variation among health care providers.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Child Abuse and Neglect.
  •  This CDC page offers insight on data and prevention for child abuse.
• Are There Hallmarks of Child Abuse?
  • This paper examines the specificity of the classical metaphyseal lesion (CML) and rib fractures as hallmarks of child abuse. 
• Medical Child Abuse and Medical Neglect. (2020) Jenny C, Metz JB. Pediatrics in Review. 41(2):49-60.
  • This article reviews medical child abuse, specifically Munchausen syndrome by proxy, as well as medical neglect.
• Bruising Characteristics Discriminating Physical Child Abuse From Accidental Trauma (2010). Pierce et al Pediatrics 125(1)
• Validation of a Clinical Decision Rule to Predict Abuse in Young Children Based on Bruising Characteristics (2021) Pierce et al JAMA Network Open. 4(4):e215832 doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.5832
• Child Abuse Medical Provider Program - Resources and Recommendations for Use of Skeletal Survey.
• Long-Term Consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect (2019).

Reports/Publications

Sexual Abuse, Sexual Assault & Sexual Trafficking

• A National Protocol for Sexual Abuse Medical Forensic Examinations Pediatric (2016).
• National Institute of Justice. National Best Practices for Sexual Assault Kits: A Multidisciplinary Approach (n.d.). 
• A National Protocol for Sexual Abuse Medical Forensic Examinations Pediatric (2016).
• Sexual Abuse State Protocols
• Responding to Children and Adolescents Who Have Been Sexually Abused: WHO Clinical Guidelines (2017)
• Child Sex Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation: Health Care Needs of Victims. Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect. Pediatrics (2015) 135 (3): 566–574: https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2014-4138

Strangulation 

• International Association of Forensic Nurses. (2016). Non-Fatal Strangulation Documentation Toolkit
• Alliance for HOPE International Strangulation Training Institute  
  • The Institute provides training, technical assistance, web-based education programs, directory of national trainers and experts, and a clearinghouse of all research related to domestic violence and sexual assault strangulation crimes. It enhances the knowledge and understanding of professionals working with victims of domestic violence and sexual assault who are strangled. It aims to improve policy and practice among the legal, medical, and advocacy communities, maximize capacity and expertise, and ultimately enhance victim safety. 

Other Education Resources:

• National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
  • Resources for training and best practices related to missing and exploited children:  

• National Crime Victims and Research Center
  • The National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center (NCVC) was established in 1977 and has achieved an international reputation for its innovative research, education and training, evidence-based mental health treatment, prevention services, collaboration with victim service agencies, and consultation with public policymakers.
• Midwest Regional Children’s Advocacy
  • A series of independent lessons that can be viewed individually or together, to give the participant an overview of the medical aspects of different forms of child abuse and medical considerations involved in diagnosing and treating children for suspected child abuse and neglect.
• Children’s Bureau: Child Maltreatment 2020
  • This report presents national data about child abuse and neglect known to child protective services agencies in the United States during federal fiscal year 2020.

Parent Resources

• American Academy of Pediatrics: Healthy Children

• FBI: A Parent’s Guide to Internet Safety.

• Childhelp USA®
  • National Child Abuse Hotline: 1- 800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453)
    • 24-hour resource offering crisis intervention, information, literature, and referrals; provides local telephone number to report cases of abuse. 

• National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
  • Hotline: 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).
    • 24-hour resource to report information about missing or sexually exploited children