Child torture victimization: Review of criminal statutes and medico-legal issues.

A renowned group of pediatricians and an attorney with expertise in child abuse matters proposed a medical definition of intrafamilial child torture perpetrated by a caretaker in a landmark 2014 publication in the health sciences literature. Representing one of the most widely cited publications on non-politically motivated child torture to date, this medical definition encompassing physical abuse, psychological abuse, deprivation, and neglect characterizing child torture has been broadly recognized and accepted by multidisciplinary professionals across medical, child welfare, and criminal justice sectors. While the medical community's efforts aimed to compel legislative changes, including adoption of explicit torture-specific statutes that would enable criminal justice system responses reflective of abuse severity, subsequent legal analyses have revealed tremendous variability in criminal investigations, prosecution, sentencing, and case outcomes. In this discussion piece, medico-legal issues relevant to intrafamilial child torture case prosecution are reviewed. The impact of the established medical definition on jurisdictional legal approaches and unique case challenges related to longitudinal nature of abuse, frequent psychological injury, and victim-perpetrator dynamics are explored in depth. Utilizing available legal research platforms, investigative information, health sciences literature, and prosecutor self-report, existing child torture statutes and case outcomes were compared with focus on perpetrator, victim, socio-environmental, and community influence on legal outcome. Prosecutorial challenges facing jurisdictions lacking child torture statutes are discussed with emphasis placed on the critical role played by the medical community to support diagnosis of physical and emotional impacts to the child. Finally, the process by which states can establish a jurisdictional torture statute are suggested.

Factors Impacting Maltreatment Evaluation and Reports to Child Protective Services in Pediatric Substance Exposures.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to assess demographic, clinical, and psychosocial factors associated with pediatric substance exposures, describe the medical evaluation, and identify factors associated with social work (SW) and hospital-based child protection team (CPT) safety assessments and reports to child protective services (CPS). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed charts of electronic medical records for children ages 0 to 72 months presenting for accidental ingestion evaluated May 1, 2015 to May 1, 2021 at a level 1 pediatric trauma center. Cases of environmental exposures, iatrogenic medication errors, dosing errors, and allergies/adverse reactions were excluded. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics; χ2 and multivariable logistic regression analysis assessed factors associated with two primary outcomes of interest, SW/CPT assessment and CPS report. RESULTS: Among 773 total cases of substance exposures during the studied time frame, 27% were referred to SW/CPT for further safety assessments and 15.4% were reported to CPS. Being admitted to the hospital, prescription medication or recreational/illegal/illicit substance exposures, and increasing psychosocial risk factors were found to be significantly associated with referrals. Age, race, and insurance status were not found to be associated. Toxicology screening was performed in only 24.7% of cases. Of those eligible for further imaging per hospital protocol, skeletal surveys were obtained in 5.5% of cases and head imaging was obtained in 9% of cases. CONCLUSIONS: There is significant variability in pediatric substance exposure assessment practices. Disparities based on demographic characteristics are uncommon. Perceived severity of condition, exposures involving recreational/illegal/illicit substances, and greater prevalence of family psychosocial adversities are associated with higher rates of SW/CPT assessment and CPS reports.

Variability in Occult Injury Screening Among Siblings/Household Contacts of Physical Abuse Victims.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to examine radiologic occult injury screening performance/yield among contacts presenting for precautionary medical assessments and assess factors associated with deferred screening. METHODS: Data were collected retrospectively from charts of contacts younger than 8 years presenting for precautionary evaluation to a level 1 pediatric emergency department January 1, 2018 to March 31, 2023. Demographics, radiologic performance/yield, physical examination, social work-based psychosocial assessment, reasons for deferred imaging, and diagnostic codes were abstracted. Descriptive statistics and χ2 analysis are reported. RESULTS: Three hundred ninety contacts were identified; 364 (93.3%) were biological siblings. Most (276, 70.8%) were 2 to 8 years old. Statistically significant relationships were identified with age, insurance, and hospital social work assessment and screening. Thirty-four infants (54%) underwent neuroimaging; no studies were abnormal. Of 114 contacts, <2 years old, 97 (85%) underwent skeletal survey (SS); 9 (9%) SS were abnormal. Twenty-seven (24%) returned for follow-up SS; 4 (14.8%) were abnormal. For 2 contacts, an abnormal initial SS was refuted by follow-up imaging. Physical examinations were abnormal for 11% of contacts. Reasons for deferred imaging included contact well appearance, caregiver concerns, and clinician disagreement with indications. Encounter International Classification of Diseases codes varied, commonly reflecting nonspecific screening assessments. CONCLUSIONS: Despite national clinical practice guidelines, studies of abusive injury prevalence and radiologic yield among at-risk contacts exposed to unsafe environments are few. Screening evaluations inclusive of physical examination and radiologic studies identify abuse concerns among at-risk contacts. Further study of factors impacting radiologic screening decisions is needed. Considerations to advance epidemiologic research include standardized diagnostic coding and prospective assessment of radiologic yield.

Xylazine Complicating Opioid Ingestions in Young Children.

ABSTRACT: The authors of this report present 3 cases of synthetic opioid intoxication complicated by the concomitant presence of the additive xylazine, a nonopioid sedative analgesic and muscle relaxant used in veterinary medicine that potentiates respiratory depression associated with the opioid toxidrome. Three exposed children presented with severe signs and symptoms, 2 of whom experienced cardiac arrest, a need for continuous naloxone infusion or multiple naloxone doses, or mechanical ventilation to treat respiratory failure after their exposures. Additives were detected in urine studies only through the performance of specialized toxicology testing. Detection of xylazine among adult overdose deaths has recently increased sharply, particularly across the northeastern United States. Adulteration by xylazine is an emerging public health threat nationally. Our report reveals that pediatricians should be aware of sentinel drug trends among adults, including the emerging types of illicit, synthetic, or counterfeit formulations of recreational substances, because children may be harmed because of accidental or intentional exposure. Children exposed to dangerous substances also need child protection services that may entail safe relocation outside of the home and the referral of affected caregivers to necessary substance use treatment services. Given epidemic drug use among adults, pediatricians should be competent to recognize common toxidromes and be aware that signs and symptoms may be potentiated by synergistic novel additives or polysubstance exposures. Importantly, standard urine drug screens may not detect synthetic opioid derivatives or contributing additives, so that diagnosis will require specialized toxicology testing.

Multidisciplinary Team Approach to Addressing Child Sexual Abuse at Nemours Children's Health, Delaware.

In 2019, 4.4 million referrals of maltreatment were made that affected approximately 7.9 million children. It was estimated that 9.3% of the referrals were related to child sexual abuse (CSA). To prevent negative psychosocial and health-related outcomes associated with CSA, CSA survivors often participate in a forensic interview, medical and behavioral health assessments, and behavioral health treatment while navigating other life disruptions or changing family dynamics precipitated by the CSA (e.g., change in custody or household, lack of contact with preparator, etc.). The assessment and treatment of pediatric survivors of CSA by multidisciplinary teams (MDT) can enhance families' engagement and participation with the legal process, medical evaluation, and behavioral health services. This paper explores the Nemours Children's Health, Delaware MDT's approach to assessing and treating CSA, explores benefits and barriers associated with the current model, and discusses public health implications of a MDT approach to addressing CSA.

Management of Sudden Unexpected Infant Deaths in the Emergency Department:: A Family-Centered Care Protocol.

Objective: To establish a standardized, trauma informed and family-centered emergency department (ED) sudden and unexpected infant death (SUID) management protocol at Nemours Children's Health, Delaware for medical professionals and multidisciplinary team (MDT) collaborators, informed by national clinical practice guidance, and respective of both family and investigative needs. SUID are emotionally distressing for involved family members, often precipitated by profound grief and confusion as the family interacts with many mandated public agencies during the course of a medicolegal death investigation. Although SUID necessitates consideration of child abuse and neglect as a contributory factor, and accurate determination of death cause may have critical implications for other family members and public health, prioritizing family needs in a trauma informed manner is paramount. Collaboration between MDT partners to provide optimal care to families following SUID involves transparent family communication, attending to medical and mental health needs of surviving family (especially siblings), and respecting medicolegal investigative constraints. Many institutions lack standardized approaches to SUID cases, which may precipitate increased family distress and delay initiation of necessary medicolegal death procedures. Methods: An MDT expert panel consisting of medical, legal, law enforcement, and child welfare professionals was convened at Nemours Children's Health, Delaware in 2018 over a 3-month period to analyze and implement an enhanced, family-centered, trauma informed hospital protocol. Results: Using exploratory inquiry and dialogue to elicit important protocol goals, a family-centered protocol with revised, coordinated roles for MDT members was developed with enhanced focus on communication, family-, and team-oriented care. Conclusions: Implementation of a family-centered, ED-based protocol standardizing the approach to SUID effectively supports medicolegal death investigative procedures while prioritizing trauma informed, supportive, sensitive ED care for grieving families. Policy implications: Health care institutions serving children and their families should develop and implement trauma informed, family-centered protocols to ensure sensitivity during medicolegal death investigations.

Hospital Costs, Revenue, and Abuse Detection Associated With Occult Injury Screening.

OBJECTIVE: Performance of occult injury screening including skeletal surveys and neuroimaging is recommended to comprehensively evaluate suspected child physical abuse. Screening performance-associated hospital costs and net revenue for care of index abuse victims and siblings/household contacts are largely unknown. We aimed to describe 1) costs and net revenue associated with radiologic occult injury screening at an urban level 1 pediatric trauma center, 2) areas of perceived high resource intensity (time spent in abuse victim-related care), and 3) detection yield among children undergoing occult injury screening and physical assessment. METHODS: Using time-driven activity-based cost analysis, hospital, per physician, staff, and radiology costs associated with occult injury screening performance were mapped for 199 children <2 years old. Hospital costs and resource times were approximated and compared with net revenue for each healthcare encounter. Abstracted variables included index/sibling status, injury classification, and length of stay (LOS). RESULTS: Of 199 children with variable LOS (0-45 days), total hospital costs (facility, physician, staff, radiology) ranged $297.83 to $81,474; net revenue was positive. Total ED time per abuse case varied 32 to 1823 minutes; social work (SW) time ranged 44 to 720 minutes; prolonged ED/SW time represented resource-intense areas. Of siblings, 27% were diagnosed with unanticipated findings based on occult injury screening and examination. CONCLUSIONS: At a single center, occult injury screening was associated with cost variability, resource intensity, and enhanced victim identification when external examination findings or clinical symptoms were absent. While further study is needed, cost and resource concerns associated with screening may be offset by societal benefit and minimal hospital-based financial losses.

Impact of Plans of Safe Care on Prenatally Substance Exposed Infants.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of recent federal statute changes mandating child welfare-based Plan of Safe Care (POSC) supportive programming and community-based linkages to treatment providers, resources, and services for families of infants affected by prenatal substance exposure (IPSE). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review of Delaware's statewide child welfare case registry data for IPSE birth notifications and subsequent hotline reports for serious physical injury/fatality concerns from November 1, 2018-October 31, 2020. Abstracted variables included IPSE sex, substance exposure type, family characteristics (maternal personal child welfare history or mental health diagnosis, treatment engagement), and POSC referrals. RESULTS: Of 1436 IPSE, 1347 (93.8%) had POSC support. Most IPSE (67.2%) had exposure to single substance types prenatally. Nearly 90% avoided out-of-home placement. Nearly one-fourth of mothers delivered a prior IPSE; 40% of mothers had personal histories of childhood protective services involvement. Also, 43.5% of mothers and 9.1% of fathers were referred to community-based resources, including substance use, mental health treatment, parenting classes, and home visiting nursing. Nearly 58% of IPSE were referred for pediatric/developmental assessment. Notably, 0.82% (11 out of 1347) of IPSE with POSC sustained serious physical or fatal injury. CONCLUSIONS: POSC promote supportive, potentially protective linkages to community-based programming for IPSE and their families.

For Victims of Fatal Child Abuse, Who Has the Right to Consent to Organ Donation?

In rare circumstances, children who have suffered traumatic brain injury from child abuse are declared dead by neurologic criteria and are eligible to donate organs. When the parents are the suspected abusers, there can be confusion about who has the legal right to authorize organ donation. Furthermore, organ donation may interfere with the collection of forensic evidence that is necessary to evaluate the abuse. Under those circumstances, particularly in the context of a child homicide investigation, the goals of organ donation and collection and preservation of critical forensic evidence may seem mutually exclusive. In this Ethics Rounds, we discuss such a case and suggest ways to resolve the apparent conflicts between the desire to procure organs for donation and the need to thoroughly evaluate the evidence of abuse.

Factors Associated with Child-Welfare Involvement among Prenatally Substance-Exposed Infants.

OBJECTIVE: To assess factors impacting child-welfare involvement and child abuse and neglect outcomes among prenatally substance-exposed infants. STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective review of case registry data regarding substance-exposed infants tracked statewide in Delaware from 2014 to 2018. Differences in maternal, infant, and substance exposure factors by level of child-welfare involvement (screened-in vs screened-out case status) and child abuse and neglect outcomes were examined. Screened-in status was defined as case acceptance for investigation, family assessment, or treatment referral. Using logistic regression, associations between factors and screened-in status and between factors and child abuse and neglect outcomes were assessed. Cases involving child abuse and neglect were analyzed qualitatively. RESULTS: Among 1222 substance-exposed infants, 70% were screened-in by child welfare for ongoing involvement; 28 (2.3%) of substance-exposed infants were identified as child abuse and neglect victims sustaining serious physical or fatal injury before 1 year of age. Most substance-exposed infants remained with caregivers; few entered foster care. Polysubstance exposure and maternal mental health condition were factors associated with screened-in status. Neither substance exposure type nor maternal mental health condition reliably predicted future child abuse and neglect. CONCLUSIONS: Substance-exposed infants had a significant risk for child abuse and neglect. Although maternal and substance exposure factors were associated with screened-in case status, they unreliably predicted future risk of child abuse and neglect.

Sexual Assault Victimization Among Children and Youth With Developmental Disabilities: Responding With Trauma-Informed Care.

Sexual assault victimization is a traumatic experience for children and youth, and care of survivors requires a trauma-informed approach. Children and youth with developmental disabilities are sexually victimized at higher rates than those without disabilities. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), in particular, may be at an increased risk for both traumatic events and developing traumatic sequelae after sexual assault victimization. In this report, we present the case of a youth with ASD who sought acute sexual assault care, but whose care was compromised because of multiple systems failures, including gaps in communication regarding her unique needs, and inconsistent knowledge among multidisciplinary team members regarding necessary adaptations in the implementation of trauma-informed care for youth with ASD. Lessons learned, including proposed solutions to improve communication and education, and approaches to prevent unintended retraumatization are discussed.

Failure to Provide Adequate Palliative Care May Be Medical Neglect.

Doctors are required to notify Child Protective Services (CPS) if parents do not provide appropriate medical care for their children. But criteria for reporting medical neglect are vague. Which treatments properly fall within the realm of shared decision-making in which parents can decide whether to accept doctors' recommendations? Which treatments are so clearly in the child's interest that it would be neglectful to refuse them? When to report medical neglect concerns to CPS may be controversial. It would seem inhumane to allow a child to suffer because of parental refusal to administer proper analgesia. In this ethics rounds, we present a case of an adolescent with chronic pain who is terminally ill. Her parents were not adherent to recommended analgesia regimens. Her palliative care team had to decide whether to report the case to CPS.

Quality Improvement Initiative to Improve Abuse Screening Among Infants With Extremity Fractures.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of clinical pathway implementation and quality improvement (QI) interventions to increase the percentage of infants with extremity fractures undergoing evaluation for suspected physical abuse, including skeletal survey (SS), and consultation with social work, and/or Child Protection Team. METHODS: Charts were retrospectively reviewed to establish percentage of infants less than 12 months old with extremity fractures undergoing an SS and consultation during the prepathway (January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2013) and postpathway (January 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015) periods. Using an Ishikawa framework, key process drivers were identified and additional QI interventions (clinical decision support and provider education) were developed and implemented. Impact of QI interventions on study metrics during active QI (July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016) and post-QI periods (July 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016) was monitored using statistical process control charts. Logistic regression assessed predictors of obtaining an SS, consultation use, and occult fracture detection. RESULTS: Skeletal survey use pre- and postpathway averaged 40%, surpassing 60% on average during active QI and post-QI periods. Consultation performance averaged 46% pre- and postpathway, increasing to nearly 67% during active QI; consultation performance decreased during post-QI to 60%. A lack of trauma history and presence of femur or humerus fracture were associated with increased SS use and consultation (both P < 0.001). Overall 20% of SS revealed occult fractures.

Pneumatosis Intestinalis Due to Child Abuse.

Pneumatosis intestinalis (PI) and the presence of portal venous gas (PVG) are commonly considered pathognomonic for necrotizing enterocolitis in the neonatal period; however, these 2 radiographic findings have been documented in all age groups in a variety of clinical settings and medical conditions including respiratory, cardiac, rheumatologic, gastrointestinal disorders, and traumatic injury. In children, intramural dissection of intestinal gas in the absence of clinical symptoms suggestive of necrotizing enterocolitis should raise concern for a traumatic etiology, including injuries sustained from child physical abuse. Several pediatric cases of traumatic PI and PVG have been reported; however, these cases described additional, associated abdominal injury or featured toddlers - a single case report of accidental abdominal trauma resulted in PVG in a preterm infant. We report the case of a neonatal victim of child physical abuse presenting with PI and PVG in the absence of other evidence of abdominal trauma.

Addressing Human Papillomavirus Prevention During Pediatric Acute Sexual Assault Care.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. Pediatric sexual assault (SA) victims are a special population eligible for HPV vaccination at the age of 9 years. National clinical practice guidelines advise clinicians to address HPV during emergency department (ED)-based SA care and at follow-up. At our institution, addressing HPV among suspected SA victims was highly variable, and HPV counseling was subsequently recommended on an ED-based acute SA clinical pathway as standard care. The aim of this study was to determine the proportion of age-eligible SA victims who received HPV counseling, determine victim characteristics associated with addressing HPV during SA care, and identify barriers to addressing HPV in the ED. METHODS: This study used a retrospective chart review of 448 pediatric SA victims presenting to the ED for acute postassault care. RESULTS: HPV was discussed in 10 of 56 (18%) and 37 of 49 (76%) cases in the control versus intervention groups, respectively. To verify vaccination status, caregiver recall was relied upon for 32 of 56 patients in the control group (57%) and 24 of 49 patients in the intervention group (48.9%). Factors associated with failure to discuss HPV during postassault care were younger age at encounter (OR = 0.78, 95% CI [0.67, 0.90], p < 0.001), verbal report of vaccination status verification (OR = 2.98, 95% CI [1.51, 6.01]), and male gender of the victim (OR = 3.35, 95% CI [1.20, 11.94]). CONCLUSIONS: Significant barriers to addressing HPV in the ED setting exist, most significantly reliance on caregiver recall to guide vaccination administration, raising concern for overvaccination and undervaccination.

Child Abuse Mimic: Avulsion Injury in a Child With Penoscrotal Webbing.

Sexual abuse of children is prevalent in today's society. In 2012, approximately 686,000 children (9.2 per 1000) in the United States were determined to be victims of substantiated child abuse and neglect, according to national data compiled by child protective service agencies; victimization rates were highest for children younger than 1 year. Nearly 9.3% of maltreated children were victims of sexual abuse, this finding was reported by US Department of Health and Human Services (http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/research-data-technology/statistics-research/child-maltreatment). Previous research has shown that as many as 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 7 boys will be sexually abused during childhood (Child Abuse Negl. 2003;27:1205-1222). Although sexual abuse seems to be less common in boys than girls, this may be partly due to underdiagnosis and underreporting of sexual abuse in boys (Arch Dis Child. 2007;92:328-331). Clinicians should therefore consider the possibility of sexual abuse when boys present with genital injuries, because failing to recognize and diagnose sexual abuse can pose an ongoing safety risk to a child. However, an erroneous diagnosis of sexual abuse can have equally hazardous repercussions, including removal of a child from their caregivers or prosecution of an innocent individual. A number of medical conditions can mimic child sexual abuse injuries, including anal fissures, failure of midline fusion, perianal streptococcal dermatitis, and straddle injury (J Pediatr Health Care. 2009;23:283-288 and Acta Paediatr. 2011;100:590-593). The following case involves a 5-week-old male infant who presented to the pediatric emergency department with an avulsion injury to his penis concerning for sexual abuse. He was ultimately diagnosed with a relatively rare anatomic variant of the genitalia and determined to have sustained an accidental injury whose appearance mimicked abuse.

Physical Health Problems and Barriers to Optimal Health Care Among Children in Foster Care.

Children and adolescents in foster care placement represent a unique population with special health care needs, often resulting from pre-placement early adversity and neglected, unaddressed health care needs. High rates of all health problems, including acute and/or chronic physical, mental, and developmental issues prevail. Disparities in health status and access to health care are observed. This article summarizes the physical health problems of children in foster care, who are predisposed to poor health outcomes when complex care needs are unaddressed. Despite recognition of the significant burden of health care need among this unique population, barriers to effective and optimal health care delivery remain. Legislative solutions to overcome obstacles to health care delivery for children in foster care are discussed.