Oltre la diagnosi: quale ruolo per il pediatra nei casi di maltrattamento?

Child abuse is a persistent and serious problem in our society, even though children are regarded as individuals with full rights. Indeed, the protection of minors has been recognized and defined in its many forms since 1989 by the Convention on the Rights of the Child adopted by the General Assembly of United Nations. The pediatrician, both in hospitals and in family practice, remains one of the main figures in the protection of the child and in the detection not only of organic disorders, but also of possible physical and psychological abuse. It is often difficult to recognize environmental and relational conditions that pose a risk to a child's healthy growth, especially when the encounter between pediatrician and patient takes place in emergency situations and without obvious signs of abuse. Therefore, it is not surprising that medical personnel report few cases, considering the responsibility and potential consequences of reporting to the Judicial Authority. Our case invites reflection on the delicate role of the pediatrician in situations of child abuse and on the internal and external pathways that must be established so that the pediatrician does not feel isolated and without reference points when making the difficult decision to make a report. The welfare of the child must remain the primary goal of pediatric care.