Uvular bisection from child physical abuse

Abstract

Oral injuries are common in abused children. In non-mobile infants, these injuries are often inflicted by various instruments, or by hands, fingers, or bottles during feedings. Subsequently, an infant may suffer lacerations/bruising to the tongue, alveolar mucosa, frenum, or the soft and/or hard palate. Rarely, pharyngeal or esophageal perforations may occur from penetrating trauma. This is a unique case of an infant with facial bruising who presented with oral and nasal bleeding and was ultimately discovered to have a palatal laceration with complete bisection of the uvula. Clinicians need to consider abuse when infants present with oral injuries.