title: Bringing back the social history.
abstract: The social environment of a child is a key determinant of the child's current and future health. Factors in a child's family environment, both protective and harmful, have a profound impact on a child's long-term health, brain development, and mortality. The social history may be the best all-around tool available for promoting a child's future health and well-being. It is a key first step in identifying social needs of a child and family so that they may benefit from intervention. This article focuses on key social history elements known to increase a child's risk of maltreatment and provides case examples.
authors.affiliation: Division of Emergency Medicine, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, 225 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60614, USA. Electronic address: MPierce@luriechildrens.org.
authors.forename: Mary Clyde
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Pierce
authors.affiliation: Division of Emergency Medicine, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, 225 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kaczor
authors.affiliation: Richard H. Calica Center for Innovation in Children and Family Services, Juvenile Protective Association, Chicago, IL 60614, USA.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Thompson
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare / Q000523:psychology*; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008487:Medical History Taking / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012931:Social Environment
keywords: Adverse childhood experiences; Child maltreatment; Negative attributions; Psychosocial risk factors; Toxic stress