Abstract
Children with special healthcare needs are a readily identified pediatric population with increased risk for child maltreatment (Sullivan and Knutson, Child Abuse Negl 22(4):271–288, 1998; Sullivan and Knutson, Child Abuse Negl 24(10):1257–1274, 2000; Turner et al., Child Maltreat 16:275–286, 2011; Child Welfare Information Gateway, https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/prevenres/focus/, 2018). The maltreatment of these children and youth is frequently unrecognized and undiagnosed in healthcare settings. Consequently, healthcare providers require education regarding the risk factors associated with maltreatment in children with special healthcare needs. Pediatric providers must be attentive in medical evaluations of children with diagnosed and suspected disabilities. The following chapter provides a review of characteristics related to maltreatment risk factors, perpetrators, and disabilities in children and youth with special healthcare needs. Practical guidelines for pediatricians in identifying maltreatment among children with special healthcare needs are presented along with guidelines for working with families. Case study examples of neglect, physical abuse, medical neglect, and medical abuse of children with special healthcare needs are also given.
Acknowledgment to: Patricia M. Sullivan, John F. Knutson, Eleanor J. Ashford.
This chapter is dedicated in memory of Dr. Patricia M. Sullivan, a champion for children with special healthcare needs who were at risk for maltreatment.
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Moore, H.C., Giardino, A.P. (2019). Maltreatment of Children and Youth with Special Healthcare Needs (CSHCN). In: Giardino, A., Lyn, M., Giardino, E. (eds) A Practical Guide to the Evaluation of Child Physical Abuse and Neglect. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-00635-8_10
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