An Unexpected Presentation of Child Abuse Case Report and Review of the Literature

An instance of child abuse discovered accidentally is presented. The step-wise patient evaluation, treatment, protection, reporting of findings, family counseling, legal intervention, and final case resolution are reviewed. The interaction of multiple disciplines and skilled professionals is necessary for positive resolution of all issues. Child Abuse has been defined as an act, or failure to act, on the part of a parent or caretaker that results in the death, serious physical or emotional harm. The clinical presentation of our case with convulsions and fever was a clue to suspect meningoencephalitis. The recurrence of this condition associated with multiple hemorrhagic foci on the brain and many risk factors for non-accidental injuries make shaken baby syndrome with post traumatic epilepsy is the diagnosis by exclusion, which was an unexcpected presentation of child abuse.