Date of Presentation
5-2-2024 12:00 AM
College
Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine
Poster Abstract
Child physical abuse is a significant cause of injury in infants and young children and can present in a variety of ways. Failure to recognize abuse in infants and young children can be life-threatening and is often recurrent until safety interventions occur. Consequently, it is of paramount importance that providers strongly consider child physical abuse on the differential, along with metabolic bone disease and accidental traumatic injury, when evaluating fractures in young children and infants. This case report will focus on the evaluation of a 3-month-old male infant who was admitted to the hospital with irritability and decreased right arm movement. Multiple unexplained bone fractures were found on skeletal survey, which led to concerns for suspected child abuse and the infant underwent a comprehensive medical evaluation by child abuse pediatricians. Ultimately, it was ruled that the infant’s numerous injuries were most consistent with a medical diagnosis of child physical abuse.
Keywords
fracture, bone fractures, child abuse, non-accidental trauma, skeletal survey, diagnosis, infant
Disciplines
Diagnosis | Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence | Emergency Medicine | Health and Medical Administration | Medicine and Health | Medicine and Health Sciences | Musculoskeletal System | Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms | Patient Safety | Pediatrics
Document Type
Poster
Included in
Diagnosis Commons, Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence Commons, Emergency Medicine Commons, Health and Medical Administration Commons, Medicine and Health Commons, Musculoskeletal System Commons, Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Commons, Patient Safety Commons, Pediatrics Commons
Evaluation of Unexplained Bone Fractures in a 3-Month-Old Infant – A Case Report
Child physical abuse is a significant cause of injury in infants and young children and can present in a variety of ways. Failure to recognize abuse in infants and young children can be life-threatening and is often recurrent until safety interventions occur. Consequently, it is of paramount importance that providers strongly consider child physical abuse on the differential, along with metabolic bone disease and accidental traumatic injury, when evaluating fractures in young children and infants. This case report will focus on the evaluation of a 3-month-old male infant who was admitted to the hospital with irritability and decreased right arm movement. Multiple unexplained bone fractures were found on skeletal survey, which led to concerns for suspected child abuse and the infant underwent a comprehensive medical evaluation by child abuse pediatricians. Ultimately, it was ruled that the infant’s numerous injuries were most consistent with a medical diagnosis of child physical abuse.