Question

Which of these situations is MOST suggestive of abuse and will require the completion of a special reporting​ form?

A. ​Nine-year-old with bruises to her​ face, arms,​ legs, and​ back, all in different stages of healing
B. ​Six-year-old who has bruises on both shins in different stages of healing
C. ​Ten-year-old who has an isolated femur​ fracture, which he states occurred when he jumped out of his tree house
D. ​Ten-month-old with a laceration above his​ eye; his parents state he was trying to pull up using a plastic chair when the chair tipped and the baby fell

Answer 1

A nine-year-old with bruises on her face, arms, legs, and back in different stages of healing is the scenario most indicative of potential abuse, requiring the completion of a special reporting form. This situation suggests repeated harm and is consistent with patterns of physical abuse.

Step-by-step explanation:

The situation that is most suggestive of abuse and that would require the completion of a special reporting form is: A. ​Nine-year-old with bruises to her​ face, arms,​ legs, and​ back, all in different stages of healing. This scenario is highly suspicious of physical abuse because the bruises at various healing stages indicate repeated episodes of harm over time. According to the Child Welfare Information Gateway, injury inflicted by abusive behaviour is considered abuse even if the intention was not to harm the child.

Repeated injuries in various stages of healing are concerning because they suggest an ongoing pattern rather than a single accident or fall, which is what the other scenarios are more suggestive of. Additionally, the widespread distribution of bruises on the body further heightens the concern for abuse.

Statistics show that physical abuse accounts for 10.8 percent of child abuse cases, and in the given scenario, the involvement of a minor's multiple injuries requires a professional, such as a teacher or healthcare worker, to report the situation to child welfare services. As such, medical personnel or educators noticing these signs should complete a child abuse report to initiate the appropriate investigations and interventions.