Update on child abuse prevention.
OBJECTIVE
Child abuse remains a significant problem in the United States with 2.9 million reports and 825 000 indicated cases in 2005. This report will highlight recent efforts toward child abuse prevention, focusing on home visiting programs, abusive head trauma primary prevention, parent training programs, sexual abuse prevention, and the effectiveness of laws banning corporal punishment.


RESULTS
Most home visitation programs have demonstrated a lack of effectiveness in recent randomized trials. One exception is the Nurse Family Partnership, which remains the most effective and longest enduring intervention for high-risk families. Child sexual abuse prevention programs and parent training programs need further evaluation with more rigorous methodology and outcome measures. Providing universal parent education about coping with crying infants appears to be effective in lowering the incidence of abusive head trauma. Although advocated for, further study will determine the effectiveness of laws banning corporal punishment or mandating abusive head trauma education to parents of newborns.


CONCLUSIONS
Pediatricians play an important role in the prevention of child maltreatment. Their knowledge of the effectiveness of different programs can help guide parents toward appropriate services.
Krugman
Scott D
SD
Department of Pediatrics, Franklin Square Hospital Center, and Department of Epidemiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore 21237, USA. scott.krugman@medstar.net
Lane
Wendy G
WG
Walsh
Christina M
CM
D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000517:prevention & control; D004493:Education; D006792:House Calls; D006801:Humans; D010372:Pediatrics; D010819:Physician's Role; D014481:United States