Jonathan D. Thackeray

Of the injuries inflicted on physically abused children, head injuries are, in many cases, among the most damaging and potentially lethal. First responders and medical practitioners encountering children with head injuries may need to take quick and decisive measures to ensure a child’s safety and, in the case of child death investigation, will need to recognize a variety of head injuries in order to identify or to rule out abusive trauma. This third volume of a new and ongoing series on child abuse provides professionals in medicine and law enforcement with more than 600 full-color photos and accompanying case studies representing a variety of both abusive and unintentional head injuries in children, as well as photographic studies of conditions mimicking abusive head trauma. Compact and comprehensive, this new title is certain to be an invaluable resource for any professionals investigating head injuries in children.

In the investigation of child abuse, consistent investigative protocol and clear, thorough documentation of facts and findings are essential to ensuring justice for victims, both for those who survive and for those who do not. In order to achieve the best possible results in such cases, multidisciplinary investigative teams of first responders, law enforcement, and medical practitioners should be well prepared for the process of investigation and documentation as they work in tandem toward a just end for every case of abuse. This new pocket atlas, part of an ongoing series on child abuse, offers nearly 500 full-color photos detailing proper approaches to crime scene investigation, physical and postmortem examinations, and photodocumentation, as well as a section on radiology and common fractures in cases of child maltreatment. Readers in medicine, law enforcement, and any other readers involved with child abuse and death investigations will enjoy the benefit of a compact and accessible guide to investigation and documentation.

Sexual abuse of children is an especially delicate matter, and each reported case should be treated with exacting care. Accurate identification and appropriate response to symptoms of sexual maltreatment in children is essential to resilient, long-term recovery for survivors. Therefore, it is incumbent upon those professionals who care for and represent the interests of survivors to recognize cases of childhood sexual abuse and to respond expediently, in the best interest of the survivors. This new pocket atlas, the second addition to an ongoing series on child abuse, will support medical practitioners and other affiliated sexual assault response providers in identifying and interpreting the physical signs and symptoms of sexual abuse in children. With nearly 400 full-color exam photos and corresponding case studies, as well as detailed refreshers on anogenital anatomy, exam equipment, and typical findings, readers in medicine, law enforcement, and social service will all benefit from this compact photographic reference and guide.

Skin injuries are among the most common, and, certainly, the most visible, symptoms of physical abuse in children. In some cases, these injuries may leave lasting marks on the bodies of the abused¾enduring tokens of the pain inflicted upon them. Because professionals working with children will, at times, encounter such injuries, it is vital they be able to recognize abusive burns, bruises, and other skin injuries in order to differentiate them from accidental injuries and to respond appropriately when encountered. This new pocket atlas, the first of an ongoing series on child maltreatment, includes 600 full-color photographs of skin injuries in children, with diagnostic case studies written by attending medical professionals. It is expertly designed by and for first responders, medical practitioners, and social service professionals who routinely work with children. Any readers who encounter, or may encounter, cases of child abuse in the course of their work will enjoy the benefit of a pocket-sized photographic reference to better inform and support the identification of abusive skin injuries in children.