Clinical Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Volume 7, Issue 3 , Pages 153-160, September 2006

Bruising and Physical Child Abuse

  • Kim Kaczor, MS

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pediatrics, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY
    • ,
  • Mary Clyde Pierce, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pediatrics, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests and correspondence: Mary Clyde Pierce, MD, Department of Pediatrics, University of Louisville, Suite 300, Louisville, KY 40202.
    • ,
  • Kathi Makoroff, MD

      Affiliations

    • Mayerson Center for Safe and Healthy Children, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH
    • ,
  • Tracey S. Corey, MD

      Affiliations

    • Division of Forensic Pathology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY

Abstract 

Bruising is one of the earliest, most common, and easily recognizable signs of physical child abuse and can signal escalating interpersonal violence within a household. Early detection of abuse through recognition of bruising coupled with appropriate intervention may help to prevent future and potentially more severe physical assaults. This article provides an overview of precise terminology and definitions, contusion pathology, development and appearance of bruises, characteristics of bruises suspicious for abuse, photographic documentation, techniques to help visualize bruising, conditions that may be confused with abusive bruising, and the difficulties encountered when attempting to estimate the age of bruises.

Keywords: bruising, contusion, physical child abuse

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PII: S1522-8401(06)00050-4

doi:10.1016/j.cpem.2006.06.007

Clinical Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Volume 7, Issue 3 , Pages 153-160, September 2006

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