Frenal injury in children is not pathognomic of non-accidental injury.

Upper labial frenal tear in infants is classically taught as having associations with non-accidental injury. Collection of data for a 12-month period in our paediatric facial injury study revealed that this injury pattern is common in ambulant children and was associated with other facial trauma. In assessing the possibility of this injury being due to abuse, the importance of the mobility of the child and the mechanism of the injury are paramount.