Table of Contents

ABSTRACT

Among the harms caused by physical abuse, abusive head trauma (AHT) injuries range from those that are occult to those resulting in lifelong neurologic and developmental harm and death. Head injuries account for 90% or more of fatal child abuse cases and more than half of them result in measurable neurodevelopmental delay and disability. Head injuries have been identified for more than a century in medicine, and their diagnosis and their management have been commonly accepted across countries, specialties, and generations. This paper reviews keys elements of abusive head trauma with the goal of aiding early identification, treatment and prevention.

Keywords: Child abuse, physical abuse, head trauma, fatal abuse