Forty years later - Inconsistencies in reporting of child abuse

Abstract

Forty years have passed since medical professionals in the United States were first required to report all cases of suspected child abuse to state child protective service agencies. Despite the passage of time, many cases of severe child physical abuse remain hidden.

Healthcare professionals may not recognize common syndromes of child abuse, or, has been demonstrated in recent studies, may recognize the possibility of abuse but decide not to report the case to the state agencies.

Rethinking the types of training we provide, the relationship between medical professionals and state agencies, and re-training medical and child protection professionals may be required to further improve the recognition and care of abused children.