Child Abuse: Identification and Intervention

Goals & Objectives:

Course Goals:

For many healthcare providers working with the pediatric population, encountering a child that is being abused is almost guaranteed. Unfortunately, not all providers are well prepared to identify, handle, and support the child and family when it does occur. As mandatory reporters, they must be able to respond to these situations appropriately and safely to protect the child’s well-being. They should be familiar with the most common types of abuse, signs of such abuse, and interventions to take once it is identified. This CE module provides this background to improve a healthcare provider’s care of a pediatric patient suspected of being the victim of child abuse. 

Learning Outcomes: 

After completing this course, the learner will be able to:

• Identify the major categories of child abuse and the most common types of child abuse in the United States.
• Evaluate the importance of reporting to child protective services as healthcare providers and the general policy toward mandatory reporting of child abuse.
• Analyze the characteristics, signs and symptoms, assessment, and management of different types of child abuse.
• Identify the importance of efficient and careful history taking with the child and the parent/caregiver.
• Identify the importance of differential diagnoses in identifying child abuse and other medical conditions that may give the false impression of abuse.
• Recognize risk factors that make certain children more prone to child abuse and certain parents/caregivers more prone to becoming the perpetrators (abusers).
• Identify community resources, such as home visiting programs and mental health services to benefit children who are abused and at risk for abuse and their families.