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    E-ISSN: 2149-4533 ISSN: 1300-865X
    Retrospective Evaluation of Forensic Medicolegal Childhood Deaths Among Children Aged 0-6 Years
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    Research Article
    VOLUME: 25 ISSUE: 2
    P: 65-71
    August 2020

    Retrospective Evaluation of Forensic Medicolegal Childhood Deaths Among Children Aged 0-6 Years

    The Bulletin of Legal Medicine 2020;25(2):65-71
    DOI: 10.17986/blm.2019250194
    Ali Yıldırım
    Erdoğan Polater
    Celal Bütün
    1. Cumhuriyet Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Adli Tıp Anabilim Dalı, Sivas
    2. Cumhuriyet Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Adli Tıp Anabilim Dalı, Sivas
    No information available.
    No information available
    Received Date: 26.12.2018
    Accepted Date: 25.02.2019
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    ABSTRACT

    Objective:

    The aim of this study was to analyze the epidemiological pattern and characteristics of forensic cases resulting in death among children aged 0-6 years and to discuss the solution offers in order to prevent such events that may result in death in 0-6 years of childhood.

    aterials and Methods:

    M73 cases of medicolegal childhood death among children aged 0-6 years whose post-mortem examinations, dead body examinations and/or autopsies were performed at the morgue of the Cumhuriyet University Hospital in a 8-year period between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2016 were included in the study group and retrospectively analyzed. In all statistics, the SPSS v.20 statistical software was used, and a p value of <0.05 was accepted as statistically significant.

    Results:

    The study included 73 forensic cases resulted in death whose dead body examinations and autopsies were performed. Of the cases, 52.1% (n:38) were female and 47.9% (n:35) were male. When the age groups were compared, it was found that the highest mortality rate was in the 0-1 age group with 65.8%. When the manner of death was compared by age groups after autopsy and toxicology/histopathological examinations performed, it was found that the majority of deaths among children aged 0-1 years was due to sudden infant death syndrome with 35.4% (n:17), drowning in water was the most common cause of death between 2-3 years of age with 35% (n:7), followed by accidental deaths due to fall with 30% (n:6), and the deaths among children aged 4-6 years was due to traffic accident with 100% (n:5).

    Conclusion:

    Since a considerable portion of deaths were due to preventable and/or treatable causes such as sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), disease and traffic accidents in conclusion of our study, it is thought that putting legal sanctions regarding these causes into effect, taking preventive and therapeutic health measures, as well as developing awareness policies with education will significantly reduce the rate of childhood deaths.

    Keywords: Forensic Medicine, Pediatric Deaths, Epidemiological Pattern, Cause of Death

    References

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