Child abuse laws--are they enough?

The physicians in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area were questioned to assess their knowledge of the battered child syndrome, their awareness of the community procedures available, and their attitude toward reporting such cases under the protection of the new child abuse laws. Results suggest that methods of communication between medical and community organizations and the physician have not been completely effective in familiarizing the physician with the battered child syndrome or with the community procedures to be used for reporting. Several considerations appear to inhibit the physician from reporting suspected cases of child abuse.