title: Forced suffocation of infants with baby wipes: a previously undescribed form of child abuse.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Foreign body aspiration in children is commonly seen in emergency departments and carries a significant mortality. Abusive foreign body suffocation is not well described.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present a case-series of four infants who presented with aspiration of a baby wipe.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Each child was found to be a victim of child physical abuse with substantial morbidity and mortality associated with the aspiration of the wipe and associated injuries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We recommend that infants who present with a baby wipe aspiration should be considered as likely victims of child abuse and physicians should evaluate each infant for associated injuries of the oropharynx, skin, skeleton, and head.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Franklin Square Hospital Center, 9000 Franklin Square Dr., Baltimore, MD 21237, USA.
authors.forename: Scott D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Krugman
authors.forename: Patrick E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Lantz
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sinal
authors.forename: Allan R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: De Jong
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Coffman
mesh_terms: D001237:Asphyxia; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003068:Coercion; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007237:Infanticide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D009960:Oropharynx / Q000293:injuries; D015995:Prevalence; D053120:Respiratory Aspiration / Q000453:epidemiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology