burns, bite marks and severe injuries
Last reviewed 01/2018
Typical burns and bite marks seen in child abuse are:
- linear burns
- scalds and burns from dunking or splashing
- cigarette burns of different ages
- adult bite marks
Severe injuries seen in child abuse include:
- head injury - blows or shaking (subdural haemorrhage) in a young baby
- baby with non-moving limb - fracture
- multiple injuries
- abdominal injuries - ruptured liver
- other injuries of various chronology seen on skeletal survey Xrays
bites in a child where child maltreatment should be suspected or considered
intracranial injuries where child maltreatment should be suspected
spinal injuries in a child where maltreatment should be suspected