title: A life-threatening presentation of child physical abuse: jejunal perforation.
abstract: Intra-abdominal injuries from impacts are the second most common cause of death in battered children. However, it may be difficult to distinguish between accidental abdominal injury and abuse, especially in the absence of other clinical findings. Published reports are also limited about the diagnosis of abuse in children with intra-abdominal injury. We report a case with jejunal perforation, multiple soft tissue injuries, and occipital fracture secondary to child abuse who was initially admitted to our hospital with complaint of fever, cough, and vomiting. An exploratory laparotomy revealed perforation of the jejunum, and an end-to-end anastomosis was performed. The patient was evaluated by the hospital's child protective team to implement appropriate diagnostic and child-protective interventions, and the child was discharged home in 10 days.
authors: Unit of Social Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey. medakondolot@gmail.com
authors: Meda
authors: M
authors: Kondolot
authors: Fatih
authors: F
authors: Yağmur
authors: Ali
authors: A
authors: Yıkılmaz
authors: Cüneyt
authors: C
authors: Turan
authors: Didem B
authors: DB
authors: Öztop
authors: Resmiye
authors: R
authors: Oral
mesh_terms: D000007:Abdominal Injuries / Q000209:etiology*; D000058:Accidental Falls; D000061:Accidents, Home; D000855:Anorexia / Q000209:etiology; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003371:Cough / Q000209:etiology; D008192:Deception; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004438:Ecchymosis / Q000209:etiology; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D007583:Jejunum / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D007813:Laparotomy; D008297:Male; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000209:etiology; D009777:Occipital Bone / Q000293:injuries; D012887:Skull Fractures / Q000209:etiology; D014839:Vomiting / Q000209:etiology