CFN Child Maltreatment Recognition and Reporting 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Child neglect is the MOST common form of child maltreatment in the United States. Which finding best supports a diagnosis of medical neglect?
- A minor bruise on the knee
- Failure to seek treatment for a serious medical condition despite awareness and ability to do so (Correct answer)
- A child missing one dose of prescribed medication
- Age-appropriate developmental delays
Correct answer: Failure to seek treatment for a serious medical condition despite awareness and ability to do so
Medical neglect involves failing to provide necessary medical care for a known, serious health condition when the caregiver has the means to do so.
Question 2: When interviewing a child about suspected maltreatment, which interview technique is recommended for forensic settings?
- Asking leading questions to obtain a quick disclosure
- Using a structured forensic interview protocol such as NICHD or CornerHouse RATAC (Correct answer)
- Interviewing the child in the presence of the suspected abuser
- Repeating questions until the child confirms abuse
Correct answer: Using a structured forensic interview protocol such as NICHD or CornerHouse RATAC
Structured forensic interview protocols like the NICHD Protocol minimize contamination and maximize reliability of a child's disclosure.
Question 3: Which burn pattern is most consistent with intentional scalding injury in a child?
- Splash burns with irregular margins
- Stocking or glove pattern burns with sharp demarcation (Correct answer)
- Asymmetric facial burns from steam
- Small irregular burns on the palms
Correct answer: Stocking or glove pattern burns with sharp demarcation
Stocking or glove pattern burns with sharp water lines indicate forced immersion — a classic sign of intentional scalding abuse.
Question 4: In child sexual abuse cases, a normal anogenital examination in a child who disclosed abuse is:
- Evidence that abuse did not occur
- Common, as most abuse leaves no lasting physical findings (Correct answer)
- Grounds to dismiss the child's disclosure
- Indicative of fabrication
Correct answer: Common, as most abuse leaves no lasting physical findings
Research consistently shows that the majority of confirmed child sexual abuse cases have normal or nonspecific physical findings on anogenital examination.
Question 5: Which multidisciplinary team (MDT) is typically convened in child maltreatment cases to coordinate investigation and services?
- Hospital ethics board
- Child Advocacy Center (CAC) MDT including law enforcement, CPS, prosecution, and medical/mental health (Correct answer)
- School board committee
- State licensing board
Correct answer: Child Advocacy Center (CAC) MDT including law enforcement, CPS, prosecution, and medical/mental health
Child Advocacy Centers convene MDTs that coordinate forensic interviews, medical exams, law enforcement, CPS, and mental health services to minimize trauma to the child.
Question 6: A caregiver reports that a 3-month-old rolled off the couch and now has subdural hemorrhages bilaterally. What is the forensic significance of this history?
- It is a plausible explanation for the injury
- A 3-month-old cannot roll, making the history developmentally inconsistent with the injury (Correct answer)
- Short falls commonly cause bilateral subdural hemorrhages
- The history should be accepted without question
Correct answer: A 3-month-old cannot roll, making the history developmentally inconsistent with the injury
A 3-month-old cannot roll independently, making this caregiver history developmentally impossible and a red flag for fabricated explanation of abusive injury.
CFN Child Maltreatment Recognition and Reporting 2
Child neglect is the MOST common form of child maltreatment in the United States.
Which finding best supports a diagnosis of medical neglect?