Battered means damaged or out of shape.
Definition- Battered baby syndrome is a clinical condition in children (below 3 years of age) who received non-accidental violence or injury on one or more occasion in hands of adult, guardian, a parent or foster parent.
It is a form of child abuse.
In addition to physical injury, there may be deprivation of nutrients, care and affection.
◾Causes-
- an unwanted child, illegitimate child, or a child whose father’s paternity is doubted, is usually a victim
- a cry which interferes in either parent’s sleep, work, television programme, resulting in lose of temper and anger in adults and violence
- The person involved in child battering usually have low IQ, impulsive nature, low temperament, or family history of such violence.
- The precipitating factors may be disobedience, frequent crying and refusal to take food.
◾Injury- The injury may be caused by hand, foot teeth, belt, shoe, nail, lighted cigarette, hot frying pan, etc.
- multiple, although all are not necessarily severe
- One or more severe localised bruise on the head or bruise on face, trunk extremities consistent with grip mark
- Tearing of frenum of upper lip and of the alveolar margin of gums to stifle cries is commonly encountered.
- Major injuries include head injuries and visceral injuries, example, fractured skull and ruptured liver
◾ Diagnosis of the syndrome-
- Child having injuries at different time and are at different stages of healing
- Child having degree and type of injury at variance from given history, example, guardian or someone giving history of fall from the stairs but it doesn’t seem to be like that.
- Where there is purposeful delay in seeking medical care, in spite of a serious injury
- Evidence of fracture of any bone, subdural hematoma, failure to thrive, soft tissue swelling
- Child dies immediately
◾ Medicolegal aspect-
- The history may be completely misleading
- The external and internal examination should be very thorough supporting through photographs, radiographs and toxicological analysis.
Sections dealing with this-
- Infanticide- IPC section 315 imprisonment upto 10 years and/or fine
- Abatement to commit suicide- IPC section 305
- Exposure and abandonment- Crime by parents or others to expose or to leave them, with the intention of abandonment- IPC section 317, imprisonment upto 7 years with fine or both.
◾Battered baby syndrome cases-
Movies showing Battered baby-
