Medical assessments for abuse and neglect in contacts of maltreated children

Abstract

Aim

Identifying abuse or neglect in one child (index) implicates risk to other children residing in the same home (contacts). While child protection investigators may interview and visually examine contacts, there is lack of consensus regarding when contacts should have a medical assessment. Our goal was to describe the prevalence, characteristics and predictors of abuse and neglect among contacts medically assessed by a child maltreatment evaluation centre over a 5-year period.

Methods

Records of 381 maltreated index children and their 588 contacts were reviewed. Abuse or neglect was diagnosed in 15% of contact children.

Results

When index children had more than one type of maltreatment or more than three risk factors, their contacts were more likely to be neglected or abused, respectively. Failure to thrive, patterned injuries, and unmet medical needs were the most common findings among maltreated contacts, and most were diagnosed with injuries or conditions that would not be evident to a child protection investigator.

Conclusions

Clinicians should consider evaluating contacts of maltreated children who have multiple risk factors or maltreatment types. These evaluations should include a careful assessment for injuries, growth and unmet medical needs.