Is it child sexual abuse? A general paediatrician's guide

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is more common than many professionals working with children imagine: it is estimated that contact-sexual abuse affects at least 1 in 20 children, and is equally as common as physical abuse. Although some children will make allegations of (disclose) abuse, others present with physical signs such as unexplained vaginal bleeding, or behavioural concerns such as sexualised behaviour. This paper aims to provide evidence-based guidance on the differential diagnosis for common presentations, enabling the general paediatrician to confidently refer and discussed at Strategy Meeting those case requiring specialist examination at the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), while avoiding unnecessary escalation though safeguarding pathways for those cases with a clear non-abuse cause for the presentation.
Source: Paediatrics and Child Health - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Symposium: Safeguarding Source Type: research