The American Academy of Pediatrics issued nine new recommendations on Aug. 29 for preventing patient abuse at the hands of clinicians.
The recommendations, composed by the organization's council on child abuse and neglect, affirmed that it is the responsibility of pediatricians to protect their patients. Researchers cited recent cases of child sexual abuse, including that of Larry Nassar, while also debunking myths surrounding instances.
One of the more basic recommendations was background checks on all staff and volunteers who will have contact with children, looking for any past allegations of abuse. Explicit policies regarding "sensitive exams," as well as training on staff-patient boundaries and how to report possible abuse by colleagues, were also included in the guidelines.
"The sexual abuse of a child in a health care setting is a devastating violation of ethical and legal behavior that can severely impair the child’s future physical and mental health and, therefore, is strictly forbidden," the statement read.