The nurse is assessing a toddler and the dynamics of the child’s family in which abuse is suspected. Which behavior exhibited would lead the nurse to suspect abuse?

The nurse is assessing a toddler and the dynamics of the child’s family in which abuse is suspected. Which behavior exhibited would lead the nurse to suspect abuse?

• A. The child cringes when approached
• B. The parents cannot explain previously healed injuries
• C. The child lies still while surveying the environment
• D. The child smiles and plays normally

Answer: (B)

In assessing for possible abuse, a major red flag is when caregivers cannot explain injuries that have already healed. If the parents can’t account for injuries the child has sustained or provide inconsistent or vague explanations, it suggests the injuries may be unexplained or hidden, raising concern for abuse or neglect. This explanation gap is more alarming than a child’s fear responses or cautious behavior, or a child who appears to play normally, which can happen for many reasons. Cringing when approached can reflect fear but isn’t as definitive, and a child who lies still or seems calm while surveying the environment may just be exploring or being cautious. So, the inability of the parents to explain previously healed injuries is the strongest indicator in this scenario.

In assessing for possible abuse, a major red flag is when caregivers cannot explain injuries that have already healed. If the parents can’t account for injuries the child has sustained or provide inconsistent or vague explanations, it suggests the injuries may be unexplained or hidden, raising concern for abuse or neglect. This explanation gap is more alarming than a child’s fear responses or cautious behavior, or a child who appears to play normally, which can happen for many reasons. Cringing when approached can reflect fear but isn’t as definitive, and a child who lies still or seems calm while surveying the environment may just be exploring or being cautious. So, the inability of the parents to explain previously healed injuries is the strongest indicator in this scenario.