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Lupariello F, Coppo E, Cavecchia I, Bosco C, Bonaccurso L, Urbino A, Di Vella G. Differential diagnosis between physical maltreatment and cupping practices in a suspected child abuse case. Forensic Sci Med Pathol 2019; 16:188-190. [PMID: 31471868 DOI: 10.1007/s12024-019-00155-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Physical maltreatment is one of the most common forms of child abuse. Cutaneous injuries often raise the suspicion of child maltreatment. Nevertheless, among health professionals there is still uncertainty in the evaluation of such injuries. In the literature, there are few indications about the most important factors that allow the differentiation of physical abuse findings from signs/lesions that are caused by "folk medicine practices" with similar presentations. We report the case of two brothers who were brought to the Emergency Department of a pediatric hospital by their father because each of them showed one painful, circular and red-purple bruise on their back. Suspecting child abuse, the emergency physicians reported the case to a multidisciplinary unit (dedicated to child abuse). After a careful physical examination, psychological interviews, as well as the evaluation of their medical history, the operators pointed out that the lesions were the result of cupping practices (a form of folk medicine). This case highlights the need for a multidisciplinary approach and demonstrates the importance of a careful evaluation of the cultural background of the family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Lupariello
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Sanità Pubblica e Pediatriche - Sezione di Medicina Legale, Università degli Studi di Torino, corso Galileo Galilei 22, 10126, Torino, Italy
| | - Elena Coppo
- Dipartimento di Pediatria d'Emergenza, Child Abuse Unit, "A.O.U. Città della Salute e della Scienza" di Torino, Corso Bramante 88-89, 10126, Torino, Italy
| | - Ilaria Cavecchia
- Dipartimento di Pediatria d'Emergenza, Child Abuse Unit, "A.O.U. Città della Salute e della Scienza" di Torino, Corso Bramante 88-89, 10126, Torino, Italy
| | - Caterina Bosco
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Sanità Pubblica e Pediatriche - Sezione di Medicina Legale, Università degli Studi di Torino, corso Galileo Galilei 22, 10126, Torino, Italy.
| | - Luana Bonaccurso
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Sanità Pubblica e Pediatriche - Sezione di Medicina Legale, Università degli Studi di Torino, corso Galileo Galilei 22, 10126, Torino, Italy
| | - Antonio Urbino
- Dipartimento di Pediatria d'Emergenza, Child Abuse Unit, "A.O.U. Città della Salute e della Scienza" di Torino, Corso Bramante 88-89, 10126, Torino, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Di Vella
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Sanità Pubblica e Pediatriche - Sezione di Medicina Legale, Università degli Studi di Torino, corso Galileo Galilei 22, 10126, Torino, Italy
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