All issues > Volume 52(11); 2009

Original Article

Korean J Pediatr. 2009;52(11):1207-1215. Published online November 15, 2009.

A multidisciplinary approach for the treatment of child abuse in Korea

Bong Kyu BK Song¹, Do Kyun DK Kim¹, Hye Young HY Park², Jun Won JW Hwang³, Young Ho YH Kwak¹

¹Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
²Child Protection Team, Seoul National University Children’s Hospital, Seoul, Korea
³Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea

Correspondence Young Ho YH Kwak ,Email: yhkwak@snuh.org

Abstract

Purpose
: To review and determine the complications in 76 child abuse cases recorded by a multidisciplinary hospital- based child protection team between 1987 and 2007.
Methods
: We retrospectively reviewed the reports and medical records of child abuse cases maintained by a university hospital-based child protection team. We devised a questionnaire for standardized interviews with the victims’ guardians to determine the current physical and mental status of the children; questionnaires were answered by social workers of the child protection team who interviewed the present fosterers of 24 (35.8%) children.
Results
: Of the 76 children, 6 were infants, 10 were 1-3 years old, were 3–10 years old, and 19 were over 10 years old. Seven children (9.2%) were neglected and 27 (35.5%) and 44 (57.9%) were sexually and physically abused, respectively. In more than half of the cases, the perpetrators were the father or mother of the children. Most children (41 cases, 53.9%) were abused at their homes. The mean follow-up duration from the time of abuse infliction was 54.3±49.2 months, and the current mean age of the children was 8.3±6.4 years. Moderate and severe developmental delay and physical disability were observed in 6 (25.0%) and 3 (12.5%) cases, respectively. In 13 children (54.2%), the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF) score was less than 60, which indicates mild mental disability.
Conclusion
: A hospital-based child protection team may witness the different proportion of abuse types and patterns by conducting a nation-wide survey of child abuse cases.

Keywords :Child abuse, Child advocacy