Identifying Subtle Signs of Child Abuse

Part of the Baltimore County Fire Department EMS Academy Training Series.
Identifying Subtle Signs of Child Abuse
February 22, 2024
Training by,
Kathleen Stephanos, MD (she/her)
Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics
Assistant Director for Undergraduate Medical Education
Departments of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics
University of Maryland School of Medicine
EMS providers have the clearest understanding of the living situation of patients and sees the environments from which they come. We are all mandatory reporters, and while some signs of child abuse are clear, there are some more subtle signs that may prompt providers to look for other indicators of trauma in a child. This may assist in appropriate triage, and destination selection, as some centers are better equipped to complete child abuse evaluations than others.