I wish to emphasise the importance of thinking laterally while looking at skin marks in at-risk children in the setting of a child protection medical, especially under the present medicopolitical climate where paediatricians are being blamed for “doing too little” and “doing too much”.

I was asked to see a 6 year old child with learning disabilities for a child protection medical by Social Services. He was under a care order because of issues regarding neglect. He was, however, living unsupervised with his parents.

The alarm was raised by his school teacher who noted a large red mark on the back of …