A new study released by medical journal Pediatrics has determined that child abuse has a greater occurrence of causing injuries in the United States than many other incidents, with almost 4,600 children sent to the hospital due to injuries caused by abuse in 2006. Specifically, the study revealed that child abuse causes a higher rate of injuries in infants than Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), as reported by MSNBC.com.
According to the study, injuries resulting from child abuse have an especially high rate of occurrence for those under the age of one, with an average of 58 cases per 100,000 babies hospitalized as a result. Babies are much more vulnerable than adults or even older children and can be injured easily, as is often the case with shaken brain syndrome. This occurs when a caretaker violently shakes the child, often to get him or her to stop crying, and it often results in serious or fatal injuries from brain trauma.
For all children younger than 18-years-old, an average of six out of 100,000 were hospitalized due to abuse. These injuries included brain trauma, wounds, burns, and broken bones. On average, injured child-abuse victims spent one week in the hospital and 300 died in 2006.
Any injuries caused for a child, whether intentional or accidental, can be especially traumatizing for both the victim and his or her parents. If you or your child has suffered an injury due to another party’s actions, the San Mateo personal injury lawyers at Van Der Walde & Associates have the skills built from years of experience to successfully find compensation for your losses from those responsible. For a free consultation, call us today at (650) 273-4201.
