Child abuse: An operational longitudinal study

A one-year longitudinal study was conducted of the medical, social and legal status of 102 (65%) of 156 abused children identified during 1975. The data revealed that the prognosis is grave with almost half of the sample showing indication of repeated abuse or residual effects of the Initial incident. Most of the abused children were returned to their homes with minimal supervision by an otherwise active Division of Family Service of the State Welfare Agency. Children under three years of age were at higher risk than older patients. Improvement was associated most frequently with separation of the perpetrator and the victim or by receipt of appropriate supportive measures. The data emphasize the therapeutic importance of interagency and Interprofessional communication and cooperation.Since the syndrome of the battered child was established,^(1,2) considerable advances have been made in the diagnosis, treatment and protection of the abused children.(3) The prognosis is still grave. A retrospective study showed that the majority of the abused children were developmentally retarded⁽⁴⁾ and a prospective study confirmed this finding.⁽⁵⁾Those seeking to promote the welfare of the identified abused child are confronted with severely limited therapeutics alternative, a grave prognosis and a paucity of data to guide them in their decisions.The present one-year longitudinal study of abused children seen during 1975 at Cardinal Glennon Memorial Hospital for Children was undertaken with the goal of providing Information on the current system of managing the Identified abused child.