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Abstract

The inclination of Physicians to be investigation-oriented, fascinated by rare conditions, ignorant of abusive behaviours and accepting of reported histories (Donald and Jureidini 1996) has meant that the prevalence of Medical Child Abuse cannot be discounted despite the vast improvements in knowledge and awareness of this issue. It is unfortunate that parents are able to effectively manipulate the fact that clinical practice is based on an assumption of truthfulness and a shared interest in the welfare of the child, but the responsibility lies in the practitioner to be attuned to the possibility of such behavior. The reluctance to offend parents must be done away with if suspicions arise (Morley 1995). Often, the realization that their patient is suffering from MCA comes too late. Given that the single biggest risk factor for MCA is exposure to the medical profession, practitioners must be conscious of their role in their phenomenon. The presentation will thus canvass and summarise significant existing research on this area and in so doing, serve as a useful primer for busy practitioners. specifically, on (1) a diagnosis of the reasons pediatricians might be particularly susceptible to fraudulent behavior on the part of parents (2) discussion on risk factors for MCA (3) practical approaches for detecting cases of MCA in the early stages (4) useful strategies that ought to be employed when conducting medical history examinations (5) where it is a suspected case of MCA, the appropriate management of such cases.

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