Brief resolved unexplained events vs. child maltreatment: a review of clinical overlap and evaluation

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Medicine
• Child Abuse and Neglect
• Diagnostic Challenges

Background:

• Infants under one year often present with unexplained changes in color, tone, breathing, or responsiveness.
• Differential diagnosis for these symptoms is broad, including Brief Resolved Unexplained Events (BRUE) and child maltreatment.
• Clinical overlap between BRUE and maltreatment presents significant diagnostic challenges for healthcare providers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the presenting features and findings in cases of BRUE.
• To review the presenting features and findings in cases of child maltreatment.
• To focus on the areas of overlap and differentiation between BRUE and child maltreatment.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of medical evaluations for infants with unexplained changes.
• Analysis of clinical presentations associated with BRUE.
• Analysis of clinical presentations associated with child maltreatment.

Main Results:

• Identified overlapping symptoms between BRUE and child maltreatment.
• Highlighted key differentiating features for accurate diagnosis.
• Emphasized the critical need for careful evaluation due to diagnostic consequences.

Conclusions:

• Accurate differentiation between BRUE and child maltreatment is crucial for appropriate infant care.
• Understanding overlapping symptoms aids clinicians in navigating diagnostic complexities.
• This review provides a framework for distinguishing these conditions, minimizing diagnostic errors.