Child Abuse in Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs.

Abstract

1. Nicola Brodie, MD* 2. Maria D. McColgan, MD† 3. Nancy D. Spector, MD‡ 4. Renee M. Turchi, MD, MPH§ 1. *Department of Pediatrics, 2. †Child Protection Program, 3. ‡Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine Program, and 4. §Center for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs, Drexel University College of Medicine, St Christopher’s Hospital for Children, Philadelphia, PA * Abbreviation: AAP: : American Academy of Pediatrics As the number of children and youth with special health care needs increases, it is imperative that pediatricians garner the skills to identify patients at increased risk for abuse, to correctly differentiate child abuse and neglect from accidental injury or sequelae of specific disease processes, to appropriately report child abuse, and to integrate prevention strategies into the medical home for our most vulnerable patients. After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Detail the definition and epidemiology of children with special health care needs. 2. Describe the epidemiology of child abuse and neglect. 3. Review the prevalence of abuse in children with special health care needs. 4. Determine the psychosocial and environmental risk factors for child abuse and neglect. 5. Differentiate the findings associated with physical abuse from those of accidental injury or illness. 6. List unique barriers to identifying and reporting abuse in children with special health care needs. 7. Identify strategies to prevent child abuse …