Forensic Medical Evaluation of Children Seeking Asylum: A Guide for Pediatricians

Applications for asylum in the United States have increased significantly in the past decade, including those by children fleeing persecution. Pediatricians may serve as a resource for children seeking asylum by participating in specialized training and performing forensic medical evaluations for use in the legal process. A forensic medical evaluation comprises an interview to elicit a narrative of reported abuse, a psychological assessment, and/or a medical assessment. Evaluators document an impression of the consistency of medical and psychological findings with the trauma, which forms the legal basis for a child's asylum claim. This article provides guidance to pediatrician evaluators with an emphasis on an age- and development-specific approach to a forensic medical evaluation of children seeking asylum. Collaboration with primary care pediatricians and community partners about asylum evaluations is important to building support for immigrant children who have experienced trauma. [Pediatr Ann. 2020;49(5):e215-e221.].