title: Medical Mimics of Child Abuse.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Physicians have an ethical and legal mandate to identify abused children so that they may be protected from further harm and are simultaneously required to think broadly and objectively about differential diagnoses. The medical literature is replete with examples of medical diseases that mimic abuse, potentially leading to misdiagnoses and subsequent harm to children and families.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This review highlights some of the common and uncommon diseases that mimic physical and sexual abuse of children.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 34th St and Civic Center Blvd, Rm 12NW62, Philadelphia, PA 19104.
authors.forename: Cindy W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Christian
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA.
authors.forename: Lisa J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: States
mesh_terms: D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000151:congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000151:congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013577:Syndrome
keywords: child abuse; child abuse mimics; physical abuse; sexual abuse