Did COVID-19 Bring a Higher Risk of Abuse?
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic people have been told to stay at home for their own safety and the safety of others. Could there be a higher risk of abuse? What about those…
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Physical Abuse or Easy Bruising?
PHYSICAL SIGNS OF ABUSE When searching “physical signs of abuse,” many journals and websites list the following physical characteristics: Bruises Cuts Burns Restraint or grip markings Black eyes Unusual pattern of injury Repeated trips to…
Infection, Delirium, and Homicide
In April, I covered delirium and noted that there are many underlying etiologies that can cause it. One such etiology is infection. Infection and our body Our bodies are constantly fighting infections. Our skin is…
5 things criminal attorneys should know about…Bruises
This is the last in the “5 things criminal attorneys should know about…” series where I highlight some areas of medicine that often cross into the criminal fields. This is not meant to be an…
5 Things Criminal Attorneys Should Know About…Pressure Ulcers
We’ve been republishing a series called “5 things criminal attorneys should know about …” where we highlight some areas of medicine that often cross into the criminal fields. The topic of Pressure ulcers was not…
When does in-home caregiving turn into Elder Abuse/Neglect?
In many criminal cases, Adult Protective Services and the police are called because a patient arrives at the hospital with multiple and severe wounds called pressure ulcers. They often are septic because the wounds have…
Two Black Eyes But He Swears He Didn’t Hit Her {Assault/Trauma}
Two Black Eyes, also known as Raccoon’s eyes, is a sign of a skull fracture and does not necessarily indicate blunt force trauma to the face. Because this type of skull fracture is often missed…
Considering abuse in SIDS
Findings that raise suspicion for abuse include malnutrition or neglect and injuries to the skin such as bruising, traumatic lesions, and abnormalities of the head and/or body. In the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Policy on…
SIDS: Physical/Autopsy Findings
Three common autopsy findings in the pathophysiology of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome are unclotted blood in the heart, intrathoracic petechiae (small red spots inside the thoracic cavity caused by bleeding), and fluid-filled heavier organs. Other findings…
SIDS: Causes & Risk Factors
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is typically associated with a period of sleep, and in most cases no signs of distress are apparent. Some of the causes of SIDS include low birth weight, recent respiratory infection, side…
What is SIDS?
The sudden, unexpected and unexplained death of a seemingly healthy infant under one year of age is known as SIDS. The age at peak incidence is 2-4 months, with 90% of cases being less than…
What do you know about strangulation? A few facts
Abusers do not always understand the medical severity of the act of strangulation Lethality is based on duration, quantity and surface area of applied force
