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A Practical Guide to the Evaluation of Child Physical Abuse and Neglect pp 141–206Cite as

Fractures and Skeletal Injuries

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Abstract

Theidentification of a skeletal injury may be the first indication of abuse. Estimates of the frequency of fractures in abused children vary from approximately 10% to 50% depending on the population studied, the type of diagnostic imaging used to detect fractures, and the age of the patients seen (Ebbin, Gollub, Stein, & Wilson, 1969; Herndon, 1983; Leventhal, Thomas, Rosenfield, & Markowitz, 1993). Recently, large population-based studies have been used to estimate the incidence of inflicted skeletal trauma. While the majority of fractures are still attributed to falls, child abuse accounts for 12% of fractures in children less than 36 months of age (Leventhal, 2008).

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Additional Recommended Reading

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CARE (Child Abuse Resource & Evaluation), Driscoll Children’s Hospital, Corpus Christi, TX, USA

    Nancy S. Harper MD (Medical Director)

  2. Department with MeritCare Health Systems, Child and Adolescent Maltreatment Services, Fargo, ND, USA

    Arne H. Graff MD

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  1. Nancy S. Harper MD
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  2. Arne H. Graff MD
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Texas Children's Health Plan, Inc., Holcombe Blvd. 2450, Houston, 77021, Texas, USA

    Angelo P. Giardino

  2. Texas Children’s Hospital, Children's Assessment Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Fannin St. 6621, Houston, 77030-2399, Texas, USA

    Michelle A. Lyn

  3. School of Nursing at Houston, Department of Integrative Care, University of Texas, Bertner 6901, Houston, 77030, Texas, USA

    Eileen R. Giardino

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Harper, N.S., Graff, A.H. (2010). Fractures and Skeletal Injuries. In: Giardino, A., Lyn, M., Giardino, E. (eds) A Practical Guide to the Evaluation of Child Physical Abuse and Neglect. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-0702-8_4

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