文摘
Background Inflicted injuries in infants can take many forms. Depending on the type of force applied, to some degree specific injury patterns concerning their morphology and location can be found on the body surface of the affected children. These injuries may then be of diagnostic importance concerning the diagnosis of child abuse under forensic aspects. Results and discussion Typical findings are tramtrack bruises due to blows with objects that have tubular structures. Besides round to horseshoe-shaped bite marks, injuries of different age, numerous injuries in the same region of the body as well as thermal damage are typical injuries caused by abuse of children. Abusive scalds usually have a uniform distribution pattern, are frequently symmetrical with clear margins and have a sharp line of demarcation between scald and unaffected skin in contrast to accidental scalds with their directional tracks. Petechial bleedings are a diagnostic hallmark of asphyxia and may prove a preceding life-threatening strangulation. Defence wounds are typically found on the ulnar aspect of the forearms and the back of the hands. The colour of a haematoma may enable the injury to be dated. The lack of a conclusive and comprehensive explanation for an accidental origin of injuries is always suspicious for child abuse. A delayed consultation of a physician or a long elapse of time until an emergency call was made in the light of serious injuries of a child are highly suspicious, too. This is also true for changing versions by the caregivers of how an accident took place. Finally, careful documentation of all findings is essential for the later scrutiny of the diagnosis under aspects of new circumstances and results of police investigations for later court proceedings.