Non-accidental childhood injury presenting at a hospital casualty department.

One hundred children who attended a Sydney Paediatric Casualty Department with injuries, burns or ingestions of harmful substances were divided into two groups. One group (30 children) consisted of cases which were considered to be those of child abuse or neglect (CAN). In the other group (70 children) there was no suspicion of child abuse or neglect. This was regarded as the "simple accident" (SA) group. The 100 families were visited at home and interviewed about their child's health, child rearing practices, parental expectations for the child, and socioeconomic status. Factors which had a significant association with suspected child abuse and neglect were obstetric complications, prolonged stay in hospital in the first two years of life, low maternal regard for the child, unwed mother of Australian nationality, maternal social isolation, and family disruption during the parents' own childhood. These risk factors may enable the earlier identification of abused children.