Role of the medical community in detecting and managing child abuse

To the Editor: I thank Oates,1 and Gwee and colleagues2 for writing on the role of the medical community in detecting and managing child abuse. I would like to add to the points they make. Doctors have a crucial role in medical follow-up for children in out-of-home care. Many children in out-of-home placements have complex needs, with physical and mental health disorders.3 Placement breakdowns mean that some children lack consistency in medical follow-up, which can lead to complete treatment drop-out. This is a significant risk factor for children in care.4