%0 Journal Article
%T Pediatric skeletal injuries in emergency department; an alarm of child maltreatment in Egypt: A cross-sectional study.
%A Mohammad Moawad A
%A Mohamed Ibraheim Moawad E
%A Ali Mohamed Mahrous M
%A Zein MM
%A Salama Mahmoud Mahmoud A
%J Leg Med (Tokyo)
%V 70
%N 0
%D 2024 Jun 10
%M 38876000
%F 2.017
%R 10.1016/j.legalmed.2024.102471
%X <B>BACKGROUND: </B>Child physical abuse, a type of child maltreatment (CM), poses a significant global public health concern. Nonaccidental fractures and soft tissue injuries, which encompass any action that directly or indirectly harms a child, are the primary indicators of physical abuse in children.<BR><B>OBJECTIVE: </B>This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, risk factors, and outcomes of accidental and nonaccidental skeletal fractures in a sample of Egyptian children.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted between March 2022 and August 2022. A total of 156 children who presented with skeletal injuries and attended Mobarak Central Hospital were enrolled. Patients were subjected to full history taking, complete examination, and investigations. A structured questionnaire was administered to all the legal guardians.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>Physical abuse was reported in 22.4 % of cases, while medical neglect was reported in 19.9 % of cases. The incidence of physical abuse was notably higher among children whose fathers were smokers and/or drug addicts (p ≤ 0.05). The most common form of physical abuse was hitting (94.3 %). Among skeletal injuries, fractures were predominant (94.3 %), primarily closed fractures associated with contusions. Fractures of the upper limb accounted for the highest incidence (94.3 %) of skeletal injuries, and 60 % of physically abused children experienced moderate-severity injuries.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>The most common fracture observed in abused children is the upper limb fracture, typically involving a single bone. Clinicians should be more vigilant in suspecting abuse, even in cases where there is an isolated fracture, and advocate for the development of parental training programs.