Vincent J. Palusci

Updated guidelines for the medical assessment and care of children who may have been sexually abused

The medical evaluation is an important part of the clinical and legal process when child sexual abuse is suspected. Practitioners who examine children need to be up to date on current recommendations regarding when, how, and by whom these evaluations should be conducted, as well as how the medical findings should be interpreted. A previously published article on guidelines for medical care for sexually abused children has been widely used by physicians, nurses, and nurse practitioners to inform practice guidelines in this field. Since 2007, when the article was published, new research has suggested changes in some of the guidelines and in the table that lists medical and laboratory findings in children evaluated for suspected sexual abuse and suggests how these findings should be interpreted with respect to sexual abuse. A group of specialists in child abuse pediatrics met in person and via online communication from 2011 through 2014 to review published research as well as recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics and to reach consensus on if and how the guidelines and approach to interpretation table should be updated. The revisions are based, when possible, on data from well-designed, unbiased studies published in high-ranking, peer-reviewed, scientific journals that were reviewed and vetted by the authors. When such studies were not available, recommendations were based on expert consensus.

Public Health Surveillance of Fatal Child Maltreatment: Analysis of 3 State Programs

OBJECTIVESnWe sought to describe approaches to surveillance of fatal child maltreatment and to identify options for improving case ascertainment.nnnMETHODSnThree states--California, Michigan, and Rhode Island--used multiple data sources for surveillance. Potential cases were identified, operational definitions were applied, and the number of maltreatment deaths was determined.nnnRESULTSnThese programs identified 258 maltreatment deaths in California, 192 in Michigan, and 60 in Rhode Island. Corresponding maltreatment fatality rates ranged from 2.5 per 100,000 population in Michigan to 8.8 in Rhode Island. Most deaths were identified by child death review teams in Rhode Island (98%), Uniform Crime Reports in California (56%), and child welfare agency data in Michigan (44%). Compared with the total number of cases identified, child welfare agency (the official source for maltreatment reports) and death certificate data underascertain child maltreatment deaths by 55% to 76% and 80% to 90%, respectively. In all 3 states, more than 90% of cases ascertained could be identified by combining 2 data sources.nnnCONCLUSIONSnNo single data source was adequate for thorough surveillance of fatal child maltreatment, but combining just 2 sources substantially increased case ascertainment. The child death review team process may be the most promising surveillance approach.

Child maltreatment deaths in the U.S. National Child Death Review Case Reporting System

Comprehensive reviews of child death are increasingly conducted throughout the world, although limited information is available about how this information is systematically used to prevent future deaths. To address this need, we used cases from 2005 to 2009 in the U.S. National Child Death Review Case Reporting System to compare child and offender characteristics and to link that information with actions taken or recommended by review teams. Child, caretaker, and offender characteristics, and outcomes were compared to team responses, and findings were compared to published case series. Among 49,947 child deaths from 23 states entered into the Case Reporting System during the study period, there were 2,285 cases in which child maltreatment caused or contributed to fatality. Over one-half had neglect identified as the maltreatment, and 30% had abusive head trauma. Several child and offender characteristics were associated with specific maltreatment subtypes, and child death review teams recommended and/or planned several activities in their communities. Case characteristics were similar to those published in other reports of child maltreatment deaths. Teams implemented 109 actions or strategies after their review, and we found that aggregating information from child death reviews offers important insights into understanding and preventing future deaths. The National Child Death Review Case Reporting System contains information about a large population which confirms and expands our knowledge about child maltreatment deaths and which can be used by communities for future action.

Services and Recurrence After Psychological Maltreatment Confirmed by Child Protective Services

Recurrence rates of psychological maltreatment (PM) and the services that may reduce those rates have not been systematically evaluated. The National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System was used for 2003–2007 to study a cohort of children in 18 states with PM reports first confirmed by child protective services (CPS) during 2003. PM recurrence rates after counseling and other referrals were assessed while controlling for factors associated with service referral and other maltreatment. A total of 11,646 children had a first CPS-confirmed report with PM, and 9.2% of them had a second-confirmed PM report within 5 years. Fewer than one fourth of families were referred for services after PM, with service referrals being more likely for families with poverty, drug or alcohol problems, or other violence. Controlling for these factors, counseling referral was associated with a 54% reduction in PM recurrence, but other services were not associated with statistically significant reductions. Few families in which PM was confirmed receive any services, and most services provided were not associated with reductions in PM recurrence. Clarification of key services associated with efficacious prevention of PM is needed.

Interdisciplinary training in the evaluation of child sexual abuse

To increase their knowledge of the medical evaluation and reporting of child sexual abuse, medical students, pediatric resident physicians, fellows and attendings participated in an interdisciplinary team-based training program consisting of didactic lectures, case discussions, videotapes and direct participation in patient evaluation. Content focused on the medical knowledge and skills needed for an assessment of the childs interview, anogenital examination and the indications for case reporting to child protection authorities. We evaluated the results of this training in our outpatient child abuse clinic located in a university-affiliated, municipal hospital using a survey which assesses knowledge of female genital anatomy, sexually-acquired diseases and case reporting in a nonrandomized control trial. Fifteen medical students and pediatric physicians participated and were compared to a reference group of 127 participants who did not receive this training and 15 others who randomly repeated the survey instrument during the study period. The results showed that resident physicians demonstrated increased mean total scores in the survey instrument. We conclude that an interdisciplinary team using patient care exposure increases physician knowledge in the evaluation of child sexual abuse.

Using capture-recapture methods to better ascertain the incidence of fatal child maltreatment.

OBJECTIVESnTo (1) test the use of capture-recapture methods to estimate the total number of child maltreatment deaths in a single state using information from death certificates, child welfare reports, child death review teams, and uniform crime reports; and to (2) compare these estimates to the number of maltreatment deaths identified through an in-depth gold standard review.nnnMETHODSnChild maltreatment deaths were identified in four existing administrative data sources: (1) death reports in our state vital statistics (DC); (2) child death review team reports (CDR); (3) homicide reports filed by our state police agency as uniform crime report (UCR) supplements for the FBI; and (4) abstracted reports of a minors death from our state child protective services (CPS) agency. Capture-recapture pair-wise and pooled comparisons were then applied to estimate the numbers of abuse and total maltreatment deaths and were compared to the number of cases identified by independent case review.nnnRESULTSnThere were a total of 194 child maltreatment deaths in Michigan during 2000-2001 with 66 due to physical abuse. Capture-recapture analysis estimated the mean number of total child maltreatment deaths as 101.02 (95%CI=92.52, 109.53), with abuse deaths of 64.55 (60.85, 68.25). Most pair-wise and pooled comparisons worked equally well for abuse deaths, but estimates for total child maltreatment deaths were low.nnnCONCLUSIONSnCapture-recapture methods applied to existing administrative datasets produced accurate estimates of child abuse deaths but were not useful in producing reliable estimates of total child maltreatment deaths due to undercounting neglect-related deaths in all existing administrative data sets. The underlying assumptions for capture-recapture methods were not met for neglect deaths. Local and/or state teams conducting ongoing intensive case review may yet remain the best way to identify the total number of child maltreatment deaths.nnnPRACTICE IMPLICATIONSnCapture-recapture methods allow for more accurate estimation of the true number of child physical abuse deaths than does using single existing sources of child fatality information, but deaths from causes other than abuse are undercounted. Child maltreatment fatality surveillance requires a systematic process and standard criteria for identifying cases of maltreatment, particularly neglect-related child deaths.

Reaction to videocolposcopy in the assessment of child sexual abuse

OBJECTIVEnThe purpose of this study was to clinically assess childrens reactions to videocolposcopy with real-time observation of magnified anogenital images (VCO), and to evaluate whether these reactions are affected by patient or other characteristics such as response to preparation, disclosure of child sexual abuse (CSA), or examination findings.nnnMETHODnConsecutive cases of children ages less than 18 years referred to a childrens hospital clinic for nonemergent evaluation of suspected CSA during 1997 through 1999 were studied. We noted the childs response with clinical observation before and after videocolposcopy, and used the Genital Examination Distress Scale (GEDS) after evaluation. We compared these responses to patient gender, age, ethnicity, pubertal status, disclosure of child sexual abuse (CSA), and physical examination findings using univariate and regression analyses.nnnRESULTSnTwo hundred twenty-seven children (mean age 7.2 years, range 0-17) underwent videocolposcopy, of whom 55.1% disclosed sexual abuse and 17.2% had a positive examination. More than 80% were female, prepubertal, and non-Hispanic White. Most (85%) watched their examination on the monitor and were either cooperative or enthusiastic before and after videocolposcopy. Fewer very young children (ages 0-3 years) or female adolescents (13-17 years) watched the monitor. Summed GEDS scores were strongly correlated with observed responses after the procedure (p = .01), and children with CSA disclosure were three times more likely to watch the monitor and five times more likely than those without disclosure to have improved comfort. Other patient characteristics were not significantly associated with patient reaction to VCO.nnnCONCLUSIONSnMost children are interested in watching their anogenital examination using magnified real-time images obtained during videocolposcopy and tolerate the procedure well. The GEDS is highly correlated with subjective clinical observation. While some children may particularly benefit from participating in their examination by using VCO, long-term effects of the evaluation and any relationship of a childs reaction to videocolposcopy with their history of sexual victimization remain to be established.

Diagnostic accuracy in child sexual abuse medical evaluation: Role of experience, training, and expert case review

OBJECTIVESn(1) The purpose of this study was to assess the ability of clinicians who examine children for suspected sexual abuse to recognize and interpret normal and abnormal ano-genital findings in magnified photographs using an online survey format. (2) Determine which factors in education, clinical practice, and case review correlate with correct responses to the survey questions.nnnMETHODSnBetween July and December 2007, medical professionals participated in a web-based survey. Participants answered questions regarding their professional background, education, clinical experience, and participation in case review. After viewing photographs and clinical information from 20 cases, participants answered 41 questions regarding diagnosis and medical knowledge. Answers chosen by an expert panel were used as the correct answers for the survey.nnnRESULTSnThe mean number of correct answers among the 141 first-time survey respondents was 31.6 (SD 5.9, range 15-41). Child Abuse Pediatricians (CAP) had mean total scores which were significantly higher than Pediatricians (Ped) (34.8 vs. 30.1, p<0.05) and Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE) (34.8 vs. 29.3, p<0.05). The mean total scores for Ped, SANE, and Advanced Practice Nurses (APN) who examine fewer than 5 children monthly for possible CSA were all below 30. Total score was directly correlated with the number of examinations performed monthly (p=0.003). In multivariable regression analysis, higher total score was associated with self-identification as a CAP, reading The Quarterly Update newsletter (p<0.0001), and with quarterly or more frequent expert case reviews using photo-documentation (p=0.0008).nnnCONCLUSIONSnChild Abuse Pediatricians, examiners who perform many CSA examinations on a regular basis, examiners who regularly review cases with an expert, and examiners who keep up to date with current research have higher total scores in this survey, suggesting greater knowledge and competence in interpreting medical and laboratory findings in children with CSA. Review of cases with an expert in CSA medical evaluation and staying up to date with the CSA literature are encouraged for non-specialist clinicians who examine fewer than 5 children monthly for suspected sexual abuse.

Effects of a Citizens Review Panel in preventing child maltreatment fatalities

Though child abuse rates are declining in the United States, there has been no real change in the number of child maltreatment (CM) fatalities (USDHS, 2008 US Department of Health and Human Services. (2008). Child maltreatment 2006: Reports from the states to the national child abuse and neglect data system. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office.US Department of Health and Human Services, 2008). While year-to-year numbers vary, there were an estimated 1,530 child abuse and neglect deaths....

The etiology and significance of fractures in infants and young children: a critical multidisciplinary review.

This paper addresses significant misconceptions regarding the etiology of fractures in infants and young children in cases of suspected child abuse. This consensus statement, supported by the Child Abuse Committee and endorsed by the Board of Directors of the Society for Pediatric Radiology, synthesizes the relevant scientific data distinguishing clinical, radiologic and laboratory findings of metabolic disease from findings in abusive injury. This paper discusses medically established epidemiology and etiologies of childhood fractures in infants and young children. The authors also review the body of evidence on the role of vitamin D in bone health and the relationship between vitamin D and fractures. Finally, the authors discuss how courts should properly assess, use, and limit medical evidence and medical opinion testimony in criminal and civil child abuse cases to accomplish optimal care and protection of the children in these cases.