The pandemic’s Impact on victims of child abuse

While the closure of child-care facilities aided in slowing the deadly Covid-19 pandemic, it also meant that children would be spending more time in the care of alternative care givers. A study investigating whether injuries secondary to child abuse reported at a level one Pediatric Trauma center were higher during the Covid-19 pandemic than pre-pandemic, found concerning results. It was found that 13% of total trauma patients treated at the level one Pediatric trauma center between March 28, 2020 and April 27, 2020 were being treated for injuries related to child abuse. When compared to the same time frame in two year prior to the pandemic, the number of children treated for child abuse at the same center was significantly lower. The same center reported only 3% of patients were being treated for child abuse injuries in 2018 and only 4% in 2019.

Kovler, L. M., Zeigeld, s., Ryan, M. L., Goldstein, A. G., Gardner, R., Garcia, V. A., & Nasr, W. I. (2021). Increased proportion of physical child abuse

injuries at a level 1 pediatric trauma center during the Covid-19 pandemic. Child Abuse & Neglect 116(2). https://doi.org/ 10.1016/j.chi

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