Tona Gillen
Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital, Australia
Title: Intentional Injury (Child Abuse) is an insidious issue and a term used for a deliberately inflicted injury, a physical injury. The child’s welfare is paramount to the paediatric ED clinician and unrecognised intentional injury can have a detrimental effect on a child’s physical or emotional health, development and wellbeing
Biography
Biography: Tona Gillen
Abstract
History tells us that intentional injury is not a new phenomenon, the terminology may have evolved over time, but intentional injury persists in the twenty first century. There are cutaneous subtle signs and obvious “red flag” signs plus injury constellations that require further investigation – these are discussed in this presentation. Having a high index of suspicion for intentional injury in conjunction with specifically developed tools such as the TEN-4 rule, will enable both attention to detail and objectivity in this regard. It is important to make appropriate referrals, adhere to mandatory requirements, facilitate investigations; treat clinical needs and assist with the safe disposition of the child. The impact that intentional injury may have on the child and the vicarious impact on the clinicians involved is acknowledged.