Fatal child abuse: analysis of 24 cases.

Analysis of 24 cases of fatal child abuse reveals that multi-disciplinary review can assist in the determination of whether fatal injury was accidental or non-accidental. All cases had both a 'discrepant history' and some 'delay' in seeking care. The predisposing child factor was inconsolable crying in infants under 12 months, and was associated with a bowel or bladder accident or diaper change in 9 of 12 cases where children were over 1 year of age. Head injury accounted for 17 of the 24 deaths.