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(A129) A Pediatric Surgeon's Viewpoint of a Concealed Disaster

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 May 2011

A. Fette
Affiliation:
Medical School, Weissach Im Tal, Germany
K. Paya
Affiliation:
Astana, Kazakhstan
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Abstract

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Childhood is one of the most vulnerable parts in a human's life. Thus, any physical and psychological harm against children requires special attention, especially if inflicted and not accidental. Such children should be considered multi-trauma victims and managed by a multidisciplinary team and trauma algorithm. In this team of specialized carers, the pediatric surgeon will import his/her expertise on general management and treatment and simultaneously refer basic knowledge to more junior doctors that might be in charge in the future. Fifty-eight injured victims (mean age = 1.5 years of age, range = 1 day–18 years of age, male:female ratio = 1:1) were analyzed in this study. Their injuries were subcategorized into battery (13), assault (11), neglect (3), sexual abuse (2), prevention failure (6), career-related (19), and miscellaneous (5). All victims were first seen by a pediatric surgeon before receiving multidisciplinary consultations. Treatment results and modalities varied according to the complexity of the diagnoses requiring a well-trained and skilled pediatric surgeon. Accompanying post-traumatic stress disorders within the children as well as psychological distress among the parents and grandparents were quite frequent. Besides medico-surgical treatment, empathic care is essential. In the majority of cases the children, benefited from pediatric surgical care.

Type
Abstracts of Scientific and Invited Papers 17th World Congress for Disaster and Emergency Medicine
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2011