ABSTRACT

Child abuse most commonly occurs between birth and three years of age. Physical maltreatment is a common form of child abuse. The presence of large ecchymotic areas and bone fractures at different stages of healing are pathog-nomonic of child abuse diagnosis. Here, a-two-year-old girl with otitis media, otorrhagia, peripheral facial paralysis, bleeding from throat and swallowing and feeding difficulty is presented. Thrombosis of the internal carotid artery was detected in the investigations, child abuse was suspected and, finally, the patient’s mother confessed her crime. Thrombosis of the internal carotid artery is extremely rare in the paediatric period. In paediatric cases of internal ca-rotid artery thrombosis without a history of an accident, child abuse should be suspected. (Gazi Med J 2012; 23: 157-60)