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Citation |
Minford AM, Richards EM. Arch. Dis. Child. Educ. Pract. Ed. 2010; 95(1): 2-8. |
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Affiliation |
Adrian M B Minford, Bradford Royal Infirmary, Duckworth Lane, Bradford BD9 6RJ, UK; adrian.minford@sky.com. |
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Copyright |
(Copyright © 2010, BMJ Publishing Group) |
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DOI |
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PMID |
20145012 |
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Abstract |
A mistaken diagnosis of child abuse can occur in a number of medical conditions, many of which can be readily diagnosed by experienced paediatricians. Bleeding disorders offer a greater challenge, especially when court proceedings may demand their exclusion. Some of these disorders are rare but more prevalent in areas which have a high incidence of consanguinity. We advocate two stages of laboratory investigations but the limitations of some of these tests and their inability to exclude a bleeding disorder with absolute certainty should be recognised. However, if personal and family histories are absent and both first-stage and second-stage investigations are normal, it is highly unlikely that a bleeding disorder will be missed. Language: en |