Nurses' and physicians' reported difficulties and enablers to recognising and reporting child abuse in Swiss paediatric emergency and paediatric surgery departments - an observational study.

BACKGROUND: Under-detection and under-reporting of child abuse remains a considerable challenge in paediatric care, with a high number of cases missed each year in Switzerland and abroad. Published data regarding the obstacles and facilitators of detecting and reporting child maltreatment among paediatric nursing and medical staff in the paediatric emergency department (PED) are scarce. Despite the existence of international guidelines, the measures taken to counteract the incomplete detection of harm done to children in paediatric care are insufficient. AIM: We sought to examine up-to-date obstacles and enablers for detecting and reporting child abuse among nursing and medical staff in PED and paediatric surgery departments in Switzerland. METHODS: We surveyed 421 nurses and physicians working in PEDs and on paediatric surgical wards in six large Swiss paediatric hospitals using an online questionnaire between February 1, 2017, and August 31, 2017. RESULTS: The survey was returned by 261/421 (62.0%) respondents (complete n = 200, 76.6%; incomplete n = 61, 23.3%) with a preponderance of nurses (n = 150/261; 57.5%), 106/261 (40.6%) physicians, and 1/261 (0.4%) psychologists (n = 4/261; 1.5% missing profession). The stated obstacles to reporting child abuse were uncertainty about the diagnosis (n = 58/80; 72.5%), feeling unaccountable for notification (n = 28/80; 35%), uncertainty of whether reporting has any consequences (n = 5/80; 6.25%), lack of time (n = 4/80; 5%), forgetting to report (n = 2/80; 2.5%), and parental protection (n = 2/80; 2.5%) (unspecific answer, n = 4/80; 5%, multiple answers were possible, therefore items don not sum up to 100%). Even though most (n = 249/261 95.4%) respondents had previously been confronted with child abuse at/outside work, only 185/245 (75.5%) reported cases; significantly fewer nursing (n = 100/143, 69.9%) than medical staff (n = 83/99, 83.8%) (p = 0.013). Furthermore, significantly more nursing (n = 27/33; 81.8%) than medical staff (n = 6/33; 18.2%) (p = 0.005) reported a discrepancy between the number of suspected and reported cases (total 33/245 (13.5%). An overwhelming amount of participants were strongly interested in mandatory child abuse training (n= 226/242, 93.4%) and in the availability of standardised patient questionnaires and documentation forms (n = 185/243, 76.1%). CONCLUSION: In line with previous studies, insufficient knowledge about and lack of confidence in detecting the signs and symptoms of child abuse were the principal obstacles to reporting maltreatment. To finally address this unacceptable gap in child abuse detection, we recommend the implementation of mandatory child protection education in all countries where no such education has been implemented in addition to the introduction of cognitive aid tools and validated screening tools to increase child abuse detection rates and ultimately prevent further harm to children.

The erroneous perception of a clinical sign: Cholestasis preceding sepsis mimicking hepatitis in an adolescent patient.

Jaundice should be considered as a first clinical sign preceding severe invasive bacterial infection or sepsis in patients of all ages including childhood and adolescence. Early laboratory investigations and MR imaging studies for osteomyelitis or myositis are paramount to avoid progression to life-threatening sepsis and significant morbidity and mortality.

Unique Presentation of Hematometrocolpos Mimicking Cauda Equina Syndrome: Severe Back Pain and Urinary Incontinence in an Adolescent Girl.

BACKGROUND: Imperforate hymen with hematometrocolpos in adolescent females is a rare pediatric condition. Classical presentation includes abdominal pain or a pelvic mass in female patients with primary amenorrhea. Atypical complaints and reluctance among emergency physicians to perform genital examination in the emergency department or the pediatric emergency department (PED) may delay correct diagnosis. CASE REPORT: We report a unique, cauda equina syndrome-like presentation of hematometrocolpos secondary to imperforate hymen in a 13-year old, previously healthy girl with primary amenorrhea. In the PED, the unusual clinical presentation of severe back pain and urinary incontinence initially mimicked cauda equina syndrome and led to delayed correct diagnosis. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: The novelty of this case is a cauda equina-like presentation of imperforate hymen secondary to hematocolpos. This report illustrates the highly variable clinical presentation of this rare gynecological pediatric entity. It underlines the importance of considering this rare condition in the differential diagnosis of severe upper or lower back pain alongside voiding abnormalities including urinary retention and incontinence in adolescent females with primary amenorrhea. Above all, the importance of performing a thorough history and genital examination in this subgroup early in the investigation process in the PED emerges from this case. Essentially, excellent clinical judgment and genital examination by the emergency physician may minimize unnecessary radiological investigations and ultimately, accelerate correct diagnosis and expedite appropriate surgical treatment. However, not only pediatric and adult emergency physicians, but also pediatricians and general practitioners should be aware of this entity and its diverse clinical presentation.