Child Abuse

Introduction.- Historical approach.- Definitions and epidemiological data.- Judicial expertise in Europe.- Inflicted cutaneous lesions and burns: The skin.- Inflicted cutaneous lesions and burns: Abuse-related burns.- Inflicted skeletal injuries.- Inflicted injuries of brain and spinal cord.- Visceral injuries.- Retinal hemorrhages.- Injuries to the face, neck, mouth and scalp.- Sexual abuse.- female genital mutilation.- Chemical submission.- Childhood deprivation and neglect.- Psychological maltreatment.- Munchausen syndrome by proxy.- Fetus.- Maltreatment and adolescence.- Domestic violence: a form of child maltreatment.- Autopsy and histological findings.- Post mortem imaging.- Diagnostic strategies and recommendations.- The caregiver's position. 

Doctor Caroline Rey-Salmon is a pediatrician and forensic scientist whose research especially focuses on child abuse, sexual and domestic violence. Having completed her degree in medicine at Paris 7 University in 1985, she is currently responsible for the forensic unit at Hôtel Dieu hospital, Assistance Publique de Paris (APHP). Further, Dr. Rey-Salmon is president of the "Center of Victimology for minors" a French association that promotes both the training of professionals and prevention of abuse in collaboration with judicial professionals, for more than 20 years.

Professor Catherine Adamsbaum is a pediatric radiologist and has been involved in the investigation of child abuse for more than 20 years. She received her degree in medicine from Paris 6 University in 1984. She served as General Secretary and later as President of the French Society of Pediatric Imaging (2003-2011). She currently chairs the department of pediatric radiology of Bicêtre Hospital, Assistance Publique de Paris (APHP) and is affiliated with Paris Sud University. In addition, Dr Adamsbaum has co-chaired the taskforce on abuse of the European Society of Pediatric Radiology (ESPR) and she is currently Director of the National French Diploma program for child abuse.

Both authors are certified experts for the Court of Paris and the Supreme Court. They have developed valuable collaborations with other experts throughout the world in the field of child abuse. They authored a French-language book on child abuse in 2013 (Lavoisier Ed) that has since been awarded by the Prix Prescrire and is commonly used to train not only doctors, nurses and medical students, but also judges and prosecutors (Ecole de la Magistrature).

Working in collaboration with the National American Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome (NCSBS), they also co-organized the first international conference in Paris on shaken baby syndrome (2014).

"This is an interesting book that covers all the clinical aspects of child abuse, as well as some historical and legal aspects. ... Each chapter is well written, easy to read and the chapters are laid out in a similar format, providing a good overview of the subject that is relatively easy to access." (Karl Johnson, RAD Magazine, November, 2018)

"This book is intended to educate anyone, including students and providers, about aspects of child abuse and neglect. ... this thoughtful, well presented book is worthwhile for clinical providers who are interested in learning about child abuse and neglect. The organization, presentation, photos and illustrations, and key points are well done. This book is worthwhile for people learning about child abuse and neglect ... ." (Joseph Hageman, Doody's Book Reviews, August, 2018)