Suspected Abusive Head Trauma

Clinical Pathways promote evidence-based, safe, and high-value patient care by providing clinical recommendations and standard processes. They are developed by multidisciplinary committees of subject matter experts, informed by a methodical review of available evidence and consensus among committee members.

Children with abusive head trauma may have other injuries; therefore, review the Child Physical Abuse Clinical Pathway and utilize associated Power Plans before proceeding

Clinical Pathway:

• Suspected Abusive Head Trauma Algorithm
• Suspected Abusive Head Trauma Clinical Pathway Synopsis – provides care standards employed for this clinical pathway

Additional tools associated with this Clinical Pathway:

• Child Protector App
• Provider Education Video (available to Children’s Mercy providers through the Child Abuse Toolkit)
• Social Work Education Video (available to Children’s Mercy social workers through the Child Abuse Toolkit)

Inclusion and exclusion criteria:

• Inclusion:
  • Any patient undergoing medical evaluation for suspected abusive head trauma

 -AND-

• • A head CT has already been performed as part of the diagnostic testing for occult injury following presentation to a care setting with a physical injury and/or other indication of abuse; refer to Child Physical Abuse Clinical Pathway

• Exclusion:
  • Accidental injury (i.e., due to motor vehicle or bike accident)
  • Non-abusive injury witnessed by multiple people
  • Known injury occurring at birth

Committee members involved in the development:

• Jessica Wallisch, MD | Critical Care Medicine | Committee Co-Chair
• Maria Korth, PhD | Developmental and Behavioral Health | Committee Co-Chair
• Sara Kilbride, DO, RN, MA | SCAN Clinic, Division of Child Adversity and Resilience | Committee Member
• James Anderst, MD, MSCI | SCAN Clinic, Division of Child Adversity and Resilience | Committee Member
• Ruairi Smith - Dewey, DO | Child Abuse, Pediatric Fellow | Committee Member
• Erin Scott, DO | Pediatric Emergency Medicine | Committee Member
• Hank Puls, MD | Hospital Medicine | Committee Member
• Christian Kaufman, MD, FAANS | Neurosurgery | Committee Member
• Elise Wright, DNP, APRN, CPNP AC-PC, CCRN | Trauma Surgery | Committee Member
• Ara Hall, MD | Neurology | Committee Member
• Jake Arends, MD | Neurology | Committee Member
• Marcie Files, MD | Neurology | Committee Member
• Sathya Vadivelu, DO | Rehabilitation Medicine | Committee Member
• Katie Foote, LSCSW, LCSW, OSW-C | Social Work | Committee Member
• Emily Beck, BSN, RN, ACM-RN | Inpatient Care Management Committee Member
• Sarah Dierking, MSN, RN, CPHQ | Clinical Practice and Quality | Committee Member
• Angie Williams, BSN, RN-BC, CPN | Clinical Practice and Quality | Committee Member
• Emily Paprocki, DO | Endocrinology | Contributor
• Haya Azouz, MBBS | Endocrine, Pediatric Fellow | Contributor

EBP Committee Members:

• Kathleen Berg, MD, FAAP | Hospitalist, Evidence Based Practice
• Kelli Ott, OTD, OTR/L | Evidence Based Practice

 Publication dates:

• Finalized date: 12/2024
• Next expected revision date: 12/2027

Concerns with content:

If you have any questions regarding this content or identify a broken link, please email evidencebasedpractice@cmh.edu. 

These pathways do not establish a standard of care to be followed in every case. It is recognized that each case is different, and those individuals involved in providing health care are expected to use their judgment in determining what is in the best interests of the patient based on the circumstances existing at the time. It is impossible to anticipate all possible situations that may exist and to prepare a pathway for each. Accordingly, these pathways should guide care with the understanding that departures from them may be required at times.