Deliberate Practice as an Effective Method for Reducing Diagnostic Error in Identifying Burn and Bruise Injuries Suspicious for an Abusive Injury.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effectiveness of an education intervention for reducing physician diagnostic error in identifying pediatric burn and bruise injuries suspicious for abuse, and to determine case-specific variables associated with an increased risk of diagnostic error. STUDY DESIGN: This was a multicenter, prospective, cross-sectional study. A convenience sample of pediatricians and other front-line physicians who treat acutely injured children in the United States and Canada were eligible for participation. Using a web-based education and assessment platform, physicians deliberately practiced with a spectrum of 300 pediatric burn and bruise injury image-based cases. Participants were asked if there was a suspicion for abuse present or absent, were given corrective feedback after every case, and received summative diagnostic performance overall (accuracy), suspicion for abuse present (sensitivity), and absent (specificity). RESULTS: Of the 93/137 (67.9%) physicians who completed all 300 cases, there was a significant reduction in diagnostic error (initial 16.7%, final 1.6%; delta -15.1%; 95% CI -13.5, -16.7), sensitivity error (initial 11.9%, final 0.7%; delta -11.2%; 95% CI -9.8, -12.5), and specificity error (initial 23.3%, final 6.6%; delta -16.7%; 95% CI -14.8, -18.6). Based on 35 627 case interpretations, variables associated with diagnostic error included patient age, sex, skin color, mechanism of injury, and size and pattern of injury. CONCLUSIONS: The education intervention substantially reduced diagnostic error in differentiating the presence vs absence of a suspicion for abuse in children with burn and bruise injuries. Several case-based variables were associated with diagnostic error, and these data can be used to close specific skill gaps in this clinical domain.

Fractura craneal deprimida congénita ("fractura ping-pong") en neonatos como diagnóstico diferencial de maltrato físico / Congenital depressed skull fracture ("ping-pong" fracture) in newborn infants as a differential diagnosis of physical abuse

Las fracturas con hundimiento de cráneo sin una explicación clara sobre su origen orientan al traumatismo con un objeto romo y a la sospecha de maltrato infantil. En el caso de los bebés recién nacidos, su corta edad es un factor de vulnerabilidad y obliga a una exhaustiva evaluación. Ante la sospecha de maltrato infantil, resulta importante evaluar los diagnósticos diferenciales para realizar la intervención más adecuada posible. Es necesario evitar tanto intervenciones excesivas como omitir la intervención que sea necesaria. Las fracturas craneales deprimidas congénitas, descritas como "fracturas pingpong", son raras (0,3 a 2/10 000 partos). Pueden aparecer sin antecedentes traumáticos o en partos instrumentalizados. Se describe en este artículo el caso de un recién nacido con una fractura ping-pong como ejemplo de una fractura no intencional.

Depressed skull fractures without a clear explanation as to their origin point to trauma with a blunt object and suspected child abuse. In the case of newborn infants, their young age is a vulnerability factor and requires an exhaustive assessment. When child abuse is suspected, an assessment of the differential diagnoses is required to make the most appropriate intervention possible. Both an excessive intervention and an omission of a necessary intervention should be avoided. Congenital depressed skull fractures, described as "ping-pong fractures", are rare (0.3 to 2/10 000 births). They may appear without any trauma history or in instrumentalized childbirth. Here we describe the case of a newborn infant with a ping-pong fracture as an example of an accidental fracture.

Efectos de la violencia intrafamiliar en edades pediátricas en un área de salud de Cuba / Effects of domestic violence in pediatric ages in a health area of Cuba

Introducción: La violencia intrafamiliar es uno de los problemas de salud más frecuentes en la actualidad, no siempre se denuncia, ya que el miedo prevalece en las personas agredi- das. Objetivo: Describir los efectos de la violencia intrafamiliar en edades pediátricas. Método: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo, retrospectivo en el Hospital Provincial Hermanos Cordové, durante los meses de enero 2021 a enero 2022. La población fue de 213 expedientes aplicando muestreo intencional, se seleccionaron 91 expedientes de pacientes que asistieron en el período indicado; siendo motivo de consulta que su condición fuese causada o consecuencia de la violencia intrafamiliar. Las variables medidas: edad, sexo, tipo de violencia contra el infante y las consecuencias. Se aplicó estadística descriptiva para en análisis de los datos. Resultados: En 47.2% (43) predominó la violencia física, 67% (61) era del sexo femenino, y 51.7% (47) pertenecía al grupo etario de 15-19 años. Las consecuencias encontradas fueron: la difi- cultad para conciliar el sueño y los trastornos de alimentación en pacientes preescolares (1-4 años) 7.7% (7), la agresividad 16.4% (15) para el grupo de escolares (5-14), la inapetencia y anorexia en los adolescentes (15-19) 23.0%(21). Discusión: Los pacientes afectados por violencia pueden presentar agresividad, dificultad para socializar y expresarse, así como manifestar dificultad en el aprendizaje producto de los daños en el desarrollo motor, psíquico e intelectual. Se ve reducida la autoestima en el afectado y proble- mas en la alimentación o el sueño...(AU)

Congenital depressed skull fracture ("ping-pong" fracture) in newborn infants as a differential diagnosis of physical abuse. / Fractura craneal deprimida congénita ("fractura ping-pong") en neonatos como diagnóstico diferencial de maltrato físico.

Depressed skull fractures without a clear explanation as to their origin point to trauma with a blunt object and suspected child abuse. In the case of newborn infants, their young age is a vulnerability factor and requires an exhaustive assessment. When child abuse is suspected, an assessment of the differential diagnoses is required to make the most appropriate intervention possible. Both an excessive intervention and an omission of a necessary intervention should be avoided. Congenital depressed skull fractures, described as "ping-pong fractures", are rare (0.3 to 2/10 000 births). They may appear without any trauma history or in instrumentalized childbirth. Here we describe the case of a newborn infant with a ping-pong fracture as an example of an accidental fracture.

Las fracturas con hundimiento de cráneo sin una explicación clara sobre su origen orientan al traumatismo con un objeto romo y a la sospecha de maltrato infantil. En el caso de los bebés recién nacidos, su corta edad es un factor de vulnerabilidad y obliga a una exhaustiva evaluación. Ante la sospecha de maltrato infantil, resulta importante evaluar los diagnósticos diferenciales para realizar la intervención más adecuada posible. Es necesario evitar tanto intervenciones excesivas como omitir la intervención que sea necesaria. Las fracturas craneales deprimidas congénitas, descritas como "fracturas pingpong", son raras (0,3 a 2/10 000 partos). Pueden aparecer sin antecedentes traumáticos o en partos instrumentalizados. Se describe en este artículo el caso de un recién nacido con una fractura ping-pong como ejemplo de una fractura no intencional.

Health Professionals: Identifying and Reporting Child Physical Abuse-a Scoping Review.

Health professionals play a significant role in identifying and reporting child physical abuse (CPA). However, several studies have pointed out non-reporting behavior among these professionals, evidencing difficulties identifying and reporting suspected cases. This review aimed to explore the frequency and possible barriers in identifying and reporting CPA by health professionals worldwide and to identify associated factors. This scoping review was conducted in the Pubmed, Web Of Science, Scopus, and SciELO databases between July 2019 and December 2020. Analytical and qualitative observational epidemiological studies were selected and published in English, Portuguese, and Spanish, with data on the identification and/or reporting of CPA by health professionals. Twenty studies fulfilled the criteria of this review. The studies were conducted with dentists, nurses, pediatricians, and general practitioners. The frequency of identification of CPA ranged from 50% to 89%, while the frequency of reporting ranged from 8% to 47%. This review revealed that health professionals had a low frequency of reporting of CPA, especially for dentists. In addition, several associated factors and barriers in the identification and reporting of CPA were identified in the studies. These were discussed in five main themes: training and continuing education in CPA, impact on professional practice, experiences and perceptions about child protection services, the threshold for suspicion of the professional, and the professional category.

Violencia contra niños, niñas y adolescentes: actuación del odontólogo y nivel de conocimiento para la detección y atención de casos / Violence against children and adolescents: dentist´s performance and knowledge levels for case detection and care

Objetivo: Analizar el nivel de conocimiento del pro-fesional odontólogo sobre la violencia ejercida en niños, niñas y adolescentes, poniendo énfasis en la importancia de su actuación para la detección, aten-ción y derivación de potenciales casos que posibi-liten, dentro de un contexto multidisciplinario, una intervención oportuna y efectiva. Materiales y méto-dos: Se realizó una encuesta a 132 odontólogos, 123 mujeres y 9 hombres, con experiencia profesional de 2 a 43 años, profesores universitarios especialistas en odontopediatría, cursantes de carreras de espe-cialización y posgrados afines o aquellos que desa-rrollan sus actividades laborales en 2 hospitales pú-blicos de la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires aten-diendo a menores de edad. La encuesta totalizó 15 preguntas distribuidas en 3 categorías cuyos ejes te-máticos ahondaron respecto al conocimiento sobre violencia ejercida contra menores (Categoría 1), sos-pecha de un presunto maltrato infantil en la consulta (Categoría 2) y factores que condicionan la eventual derivación del caso (Categoría 3). Cada pregunta in-cluida en las 3 categorías se direccionó conforme a si el ámbito profesional del sujeto encuestado era es-pecialista/cursante de posgrado (Grupo 1) u hospi-talario (Grupo 2). Resultados: En la primera categoría se observó una significativa carencia de formación específica en la etapa de grado con un 89% para el grupo 1 y 93,75% para el grupo 2, aunque éstos úl-timos han accedido a cursos de perfeccionamiento y actividades tendientes a incrementar destrezas y aptitudes en un 71,87%, contrastando con el 24% del otro grupo. Asimismo, el 29% del grupo 1 y un 50% del grupo 2 conocían los protocolos establecidos en sus entornos profesionales. Ambos consideraron que el odontólogo no está capacitado para detectar conductas orientativas hacia posibles casos (89%, grupo 1; 87,5%, grupo 2). Para la segunda categoría, el grupo 1 respondió positivamente en un 73%, en tanto que el grupo 2 lo hizo en un 84,38%. En la ter-cera categoría se destacó para el grupo 1 un elevado porcentaje en las preguntas relacionadas al temor por parte del odontólogo de agravar las acciones Objetivo: Analizar el nivel de conocimiento del pro-fesional odontólogo sobre la violencia ejercida en niños, niñas y adolescentes, poniendo énfasis en la importancia de su actuación para la detección, aten-ción y derivación de potenciales casos que posibi-liten, dentro de un contexto multidisciplinario, una intervención oportuna y efectiva. Materiales y méto-dos: Se realizó una encuesta a 132 odontólogos, 123 mujeres y 9 hombres, con experiencia profesional de 2 a 43 años, profesores universitarios especialistas en odontopediatría, cursantes de carreras de espe-cialización y posgrados afines o aquellos que desa-rrollan sus actividades laborales en 2 hospitales pú-blicos de la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires aten-diendo a menores de edad. La encuesta totalizó 15 preguntas distribuidas en 3 categorías cuyos ejes te-máticos ahondaron respecto al conocimiento sobre violencia ejercida contra menores (Categoría 1), sos-pecha de un presunto maltrato infantil en la consulta (Categoría 2) y factores que condicionan la eventual derivación del caso (Categoría 3). Cada pregunta in-cluida en las 3 categorías se direccionó conforme a si el ámbito profesional del sujeto encuestado era es-pecialista/cursante de posgrado (Grupo 1) u hospi-talario (Grupo 2). Resultados: En la primera categoría se observó una significativa carencia de formación específica en la etapa de grado con un 89% para el grupo 1 y 93,75% para el grupo 2, aunque éstos úl-timos han accedido a cursos de perfeccionamiento y actividades tendientes a incrementar destrezas y aptitudes en un 71,87%, contrastando con el 24% del otro grupo. Asimismo, el 29% del grupo 1 y un 50% del grupo 2 conocían los protocolos establecidos en sus entornos profesionales. Ambos consideraron que el odontólogo no está capacitado para detectar conductas orientativas hacia posibles casos (89%, grupo 1; 87,5%, grupo 2). Para la segunda categoría, el grupo 1 respondió positivamente en un 73%, en tanto que el grupo 2 lo hizo en un 84,38%. En la ter-cera categoría se destacó para el grupo 1 un elevado porcentaje en las preguntas relacionadas al temor por parte del odontólogo de agravar las acciones de violencia familiar (64%) o represalias (55%) contra el niño si efectuaran la derivación. En los mismos ítems, el grupo 2 respondió con porcentajes disímiles (28,13% y 31,25%, respectivamente). Finalmente, se diferenciaron claramente los resultados en cuanto al desconocimiento de los procedimientos a seguir si amerita derivar un caso, con un 71% para el grupo 1 y un 34,38% para el grupo 2. Conclusión: Se hace imperioso instruir y capacitar al profesional odontólogo, concientizándolo sobre la necesidad de conocer la legislación vigente y los mecanismos de detección y ulterior derivación. Si bien aquellos que desempeñan su labor a nivel hospitalario aparecen como mejor preparados para actuar, existe un evidente desconocimiento general que conlleva el riesgo de no advertir o proceder inadecuadamente en casos de violencia que atenta contra la seguridad de niños, niñas y adolescentes (AU)

Objective: To analyze the level of knowledge of the dental professional about violence committed in children and adolescents, emphasizing the importance of their actions for the detection, care and referral of potential cases that allow, within a multidisciplinary context, an intervention timely and effective. Materials and methods: A survey was carried out with 132 dentists, 123 women and 9 men, with professional experience of 2 to 43 years, university professors in the specialty of pediatric dentistry, students of specialization course and related postgraduate courses or those who carry out their work activities in 2 public hospitals in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires that care for minors. The survey included 15 questions distributed in 3 categories whose thematic axes delved into knowledge about violence committed against minors (Category 1), suspicion of alleged child abuses in the consultation (Category 2) and factors that condition the eventual referral of the case (Category 3). Each question included in the 3 categories is addressed according to whether the professional field of the surveyed subject was a specialist/graduate student (Group 1) or a hospitalist (Group 2). Results: In the first category, a significant lack of specific training is observed in the undergraduate stage with 89% for group 1 and 93.75% for group 2, although the latter have accessed courses and improvement activities aimed at to increase skills and abilities by 71.87%, in contrast to 24% in the other group. Likewise, 29% of group 1 and 50% of group 2 knew the protocols established in their professional environments. Both considered that the dentist is not trained to detect guiding behaviors towards possible cases (89%, group 1; 87.5%, group 2). For the second category, group 1 responded positively by 73%, while group 2 did so by 84.38%. In the third category, a high percentage stood out for group 1 in the questions related to the dentist's fear of aggravating the actions of family violence (64%) or retaliation (55%) against the child if he made the referral. In the same items, group 2 responded with dissimilar percentages (28.13% and 31.25%, respectively). Finally, the results were clearly differentiated in terms of lack of knowledge of the procedures to follow if a case warrants referral, with 71% for group 1 and 34.38% for group 2. Conclusion: It is imperative to instruct and train the professional dentist, raising awareness about the need to know current legislation and the detection and subsequent referral mechanisms. Although those who carry out their work at the hospital level seem to be better prepared to act, there is an evident widespread lack of knowledge that entails the risk of not announcing or acting inappropriately in cases of violence that threaten the safety of children and adolescents (AU)

The Impact of COVID-19 on Infant Maltreatment Emergency Department and Inpatient Medical Encounters.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the counts of infant maltreatment-related medical encounters at a large medical system during a 21-month span of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Retrospective data for this study came from all inpatient and emergency department medical encounters for infants from January 1, 2016, through November 30, 2021, at a single children's hospital system in California. Distributions of medical encounters were tabulated and plotted over time. Interrupted time series models were used to evaluate changes in child maltreatment medical encounters. RESULTS: Medical encounters for infants with child maltreatment diagnoses increased following the onset of COVID-19. Monthly counts of encounters with indicated maltreatment trended upward following the start of the pandemic. Interrupted time series models showed that the count of maltreatment encounters increased 64% with the onset of COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: We found an increase in infant maltreatment medical encounters during a 21-month period following the onset of COVID-19. These findings suggest that the pandemic may have adversely affected the safety of infants and ongoing work is needed to understand better the pandemic impacts on child maltreatment.

Evaluation of Children after Caregiver Intimate Partner Violence: A Qualitative Study of Barriers, Facilitators, and Trauma- and Violence-Informed Care.

OBJECTIVE: To identify barriers and facilitators of evaluating children exposed to caregiver intimate partner violence (IPV) and develop a strategy to optimize the evaluation. STUDY DESIGN: Using the EPIS (Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, and Sustainment) framework, we conducted qualitative interviews of 49 stakeholders, including emergency department clinicians (n = 18), child abuse pediatricians (n = 15), child protective services staff (n = 12), and caregivers who experienced IPV (n = 4), and reviewed meeting minutes of a family violence community advisory board (CAB). Researchers coded and analyzed interviews and CAB minutes using the constant comparative method of grounded theory. Codes were expanded and revised until a final structure emerged. RESULTS: Four themes emerged: (1) benefits of evaluation, including the opportunity to assess children for physical abuse and to engage caregivers; (2) barriers, including limited evidence about the risk of abuse in these children, burdening a resource-limited system, and the complexity of IPV; (3) facilitators, including collaboration between medical and IPV providers; and (4) recommendations for trauma- and violence-informed care (TVIC) in which a child's evaluation is leveraged to link caregivers with an IPV advocate to address the caregiver's needs. CONCLUSIONS: Routine evaluation of IPV-exposed children may lead to the detection of physical abuse and linkage to services for the child and the caregiver. Collaboration, improved data on the risk of child physical abuse in the context of IPV and implementation of TVIC may improve outcomes for families experiencing IPV.

A Population-Based Study of Mental Health Diagnoses and Child Protection System Involvement Among Medicaid-Insured Children.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the population prevalence of diagnosed mental health disorders among Medicaid-insured children <18 years old in California based on levels of current and past child protection system (CPS) involvement. STUDY DESIGN: In this retrospective, population-based study, we examined the full population of children enrolled in California's Medicaid program for at least 1 month between 2014 and 2015 and who had at least 1 claim during that period (n = 3 352 886). Records for Medicaid-insured children were probabilistically linked to statewide CPS records of maltreatment and foster care placements since 1998. A primary or secondary mental health diagnosis was classified using International Classification of Diseases codes. RESULTS: Overall, 14% (n = 470 513) of all children insured through Medicaid in 2014-2015 had a documented mental health diagnosis. Among children with a diagnosis, the percentage with CPS involvement (ie, any report for maltreatment) was nearly twice that of the Medicaid population overall (50.4% vs 26.9%). This finding held across all diagnostic groups but with notable variations in magnitude. A graded relationship emerged between the level of CPS involvement and the likelihood of a mental health diagnosis. Diagnoses among children reported for maltreatment were common, regardless of placement in foster care. CONCLUSIONS: Findings document high rates of both mental health diagnoses and past child protection involvement in a population of Medicaid-insured children. Most children reported for maltreatment will never be placed in foster care, underscoring the importance of ensuring that the children who remain at home receive the proper array and coordination of services.

Síndrome de Niño Agredido: aspectos médico legales y la importancia de los estudios radiológicos Reporte de caso / Battered Child Syndrome: medico-legal aspects and the importance of radiological studies Case report

Resumen El síndrome de niño(a) agredido(a) comprende múltiples aspectos desde la definición propia del abuso infantil, en donde se incluye tanto cualquier acto como la omisión que arremeta contra la salud o el desarrollo del menor. Siendo necesario la valoración integral de cada uno de los casos sospechosos abarcando tanto aspectos relacionados con posibles maltratos físicos como los correlacionables por omisión de cuido de menor. Se presenta el caso de una evaluada con denuncia por Abuso de Patria Potestad para ser valorada por sospecha de maltrato infantil.

Abstract The battered child syndrome encompasses multiple aspects from the very definition of child abuse, which covers any act or omission that affects the health or development of the minor. The comprehensive assessment of each of the suspected cases is necessary, covering both aspects related to possible physical abuse and those correlatable by omission of childcare. The case of female with a complaint for Abuse of Parental Authority to be assessed for suspicion of child abuse is presented.

Abusive head trauma, protocols, and legal concerns in a South American Country.

The abusive head trauma (AHT) is a form of child abuse and is a frequent entity all over de world. It is particularly unique among medical diagnoses because of the legal implications imposed by the diagnosis. Therefore, it has been the subject of much legal controversy over the decades. Knowledge of the clinical signs and imaging findings of abusive head trauma is vitally important for early diagnosis. An oriented anamnesis, as well as a complete physical examination and obtaining adequate images of the central nervous system, play a significant role in confirming the presumptive diagnosis. The interdisciplinary approach (pediatricians, neurosurgeons, neuroradiologists, social workers, and other specialists) is the key in the management of these patients. The purpose of this article is to familiarize the pediatric neurosurgeon with some of the more common medicolegal issues surrounding AHT as well as to discuss legal commitments and ethical obligations of the neurosurgeon in Argentina (South America) based on 2 clinical cases.

ISPCAN Child Abuse Screening Tool for Children (ICAST-C): Translation and adaptation to Mexican Spanish, and psychometric properties tested in Mexico City adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Research using the IPSCAN Child Abuse Screening Tool for Children (ICAST-C), has provided ample evidence of the magnitude of violence against children. Knowledge about its psychometric characteristics and validity is limited. Hence, our objective was to translate and culturally adapt the ICAST-C in adolescents from Mexico City and determine its psychometric properties. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: To determine the psychometric properties of the instrument 723 adolescents between 11 and 18 years of age from 9 public secondary schools in Mexico City participated. METHODS: The study was carried out in two phases: 1) translation and adaptation of the instrument (in 5 steps) and 2) pilot evaluation of the psychometric properties. Total and factor reliabilities were determined, Pearson correlation was used for temporal stability while construct validity was determined by Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and final adequacy of the items eliminated by the CFA. RESULTS: We developed the culturally relevant Mexican Spanish version of the ICAST-C. The CFA confirmed the six-factor structure hypothesis. To improve the original model we eliminated ten items, the final model showed good global fit indices (χ2(1310) = 2207.68, p < .01, χ2/df = 1.68; CFI =0.95; RMSEA = 0.02 [CI95% 0.02-0.03]; SRMR = 0.08). Total and factor reliabilities were adequate (Alpha = 0.79-0.92, r = 0.52-0.75), except for the non-violent discipline factor (Alpha = 0.59, r = 0.38). CONCLUSIONS: While these data suggest that this version of the ICAST-C is valid and reliable for adolescents in Mexico City public secondary schools, further research should evaluate the psychometric properties in a national sample.

[Regulatory disorders in early childhood: identification, prevention and treatment guidelines]. / Trastornos de regulación en la primera infancia: identificación y lineamientos para la prevención y manejo.

Regulation disorders are defined according to current guidelines and classification systems as disor ders in the interaction between infants and their parents, being characterized by a symptomatic triad that includes aspects of the child, parental characteristics and parent-child interaction. This disorder may generate family imbalance and in the long term to be a risk factor for internalizing and externa lizing disorders, as well as child abuse. The proposed management includes working with the family system, anticipating its appearance, considering the parental conditions. When faced with a regula tion disorder, the focus should always be on the symptomatic triad. Parents or caregivers of children with regulation disorders need guidance to improve their sensitivity and reactions to the demands of their children during the first year and thus break the trajectory of the development of these disorders and reduce their own stress to achieve a successful intuitive parenting. A narrative-descriptive review of the disorder, its causal associations, consequences and treatment guidelines in light of current knowledge is presented.