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Bruising in Suspected Child Maltreatment

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Handbook of Interpersonal Violence and Abuse Across the Lifespan

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Abstract

It is critical that health care providers have an organized, evidence-informed approach to the evaluation of bruising in children of all ages. Bruises are a common finding in healthy active children and are also the most common finding in child physical abuse. Bruising may be the first detectable injury from maltreatment and is often the only outward sign when other (occult) injuries are present, especially in young infants. Medical evaluation of bruising is essential for the timely recognition of possible maltreatment and also the potential recognition of an underlying medical problem. Lack of appreciation of the significance of bruising could lead to failure to provide protective services, to detect occult injury, and to provide treatment.

This chapter will address the clinical assessment of bruises in the context of possible child physical abuse. Evidence will be reviewed, and clinical guidance provided in the following format.

This chapter was initially published with an incorrect copyright holder name. It has been corrected to © Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, NS, Canada

    Robyn McLaughlin, Laura C. Stymiest & Amy E. Ornstein

  2. Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada

    Robyn McLaughlin, Laura C. Stymiest & Amy E. Ornstein

  3. Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, ON, Canada

    Michelle G. K. Ward

  4. Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada

    Michelle G. K. Ward

Authors
  1. Robyn McLaughlin
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  2. Laura C. Stymiest
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  3. Michelle G. K. Ward
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  4. Amy E. Ornstein
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Laura C. Stymiest .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute on Violence, Abuse and Trauma, Alliant International University, San Diego, CA, USA

    Robert Geffner

  2. School of Health and Human Sciences, University of North Carolina at Greensbo, Greensboro, NC, USA

    Jacquelyn W. White

  3. Dept of Family and Community Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA

    L. Kevin Hamberger

  4. Department of Psychology, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, USA

    Alan Rosenbaum

  5. Ethelyn R. Strong School of Social Work, Norfolk State University, Norfolk, VA, USA

    Viola Vaughan-Eden

  6. Education and Research, Zero Abuse Project, St. Paul, MN, USA

    Victor I. Vieth

Section Editor information

  1. Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA

    Ernestine Briggs

  2. School of Social Work, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA

    Javonda Williams

  3. Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Eastern Virginia Medical School/Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters, Norfolk, VA, USA

    Michelle Clayton

  4. The UP Institute, CEO, New Orleans, LA, USA

    Stacie LeBlanc

  5. Ethelyn R. Strong School of Social Work, Norfolk State University, Norfolk, VA, USA

    Viola Vaughan-Eden

  6. Owner/Principle Consultant & Trainer, Russell Consulting Specialists, LLC, Vancouver, Washington, USA

    Amy Russell

  7. Executive Director, Arthur D. Curtis Children's Justice Center http://www.clark.wa.gov/cjc

    Amy Russell

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© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

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McLaughlin, R., Stymiest, L.C., Ward, M.G.K., Ornstein, A.E. (2020). Bruising in Suspected Child Maltreatment. In: Geffner, R., White, J.W., Hamberger, L.K., Rosenbaum, A., Vaughan-Eden, V., Vieth, V.I. (eds) Handbook of Interpersonal Violence and Abuse Across the Lifespan. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62122-7_250-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62122-7_250-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-62122-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-62122-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Behavioral Science and PsychologyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences

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