When Its Just a Bump on the Head: Interpreting Skull Fractures in the Context of Child Maltreatment
Potential Reasons for Reporting This Case
- Additional injuries concerning for abuse
- Injury(s) do not fit with stated mechanism or developmental age of child
- Concern for lack of supervision or care provided to child
- Other reasons for safety concern(s)
Accessible Version
There may be clear reasons that this case should be reported to child protective services including if there were findings of patterned bruising or bruising in the Torso, Ears or Neck region, or that the injury or mechanism of injury does not fit the developmental level of the stated age of the child. Or that there may be a concern of lack of supervision or care provided by a caregiver that led to harm to the child. But, often the concerns aren’t so obvious and whether to make a report to Child Protective Services may not be clear cut.
