Drs Andrea Asnes and Sundes Kazmir join Ethics Talk to discuss medical child abuse, sites of pediatric neglect, and how clinicians can best carry out their responsibilities as mandatory reporters.

Dr Jeremy Weleff joins Ethics Talk to discuss his article, coauthored with Dr Dawn Potter: “Key Updates to Understanding Roles of Childhood Trauma in Overall Health.”

Pediatricians have been forced to navigate diagnostic uncertainty, hospital closures, limited staffing, and new infection control guidelines.

Separation of children from their parents is one possible traumatizing consequence of a mandated report, which is not to be taken lightly.

Following evidence-based approaches to evaluating and reporting suspicion of child maltreatment can help minimize bias and promote equity.

Intergenerational trauma has deep roots, which require clinicians to understand historical and cultural context when working with vulnerable children.

When health care professionals encounter child abuse and neglect, they tend to experience a range of emotions, such as anger, sadness, and frustration.

Adverse childhood experiences and trauma influence health in ways that now garner more attention across the life-spectrum.

How society and medicine discussed and responded to child abuse changed dramatically in 1962. Since that time, the problem’s fuller scope has been revealed.

This narrative illuminates need for students and clinicians to be well prepared to face ethically and structurally complex realities of identifying and responding to children.