The pediatrician's documentation of child maltreatment

Abstract

Pediatricians are increasingly involved in the assessment of suspected child maltreatment. These assessments are a crucial component of the overall evaluation of the patient and provide the basis for interventions to protect the child. An accurate documentation of the pediatrician's assessment is important to convey the information to professionals in the public agencies involved, including the legal system. However, there may be uncertainty among pediatricians concerning what should be documented in the medical record in cases of child maltreatment. The objectives of this article are to provide a detailed but generic description of the information that should be gathered during the evaluation of children who show signs of any form of child abuse and neglect and to provide clear guidelines for the proper written documentation of child maltreatment.