Evaluations of Children Who Have Disclosed Sexual Abuse via Facilitated Communication
Ann S. Botash, MD;
Diane Babuts;
Nancy Mitchell, RN, CPNP;
Maureen O'Hara, RN, CNS;
Laura Lynch, MS;
JoAnn Manuel, MSW
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1994;148(12):1282-1287.
Abstract
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Objective
To review the findings of interdisciplinary team evaluations of children who disclosed sexual abuse via facilitated communication.
Design
Case series.
Setting
Tertiary care hospital outpatient child sexual abuse program in central New York.
Patients
Between January 1990 and March 1993, 13 children who disclosed sexual abuse via facilitated communication and were referred to a university hospital child abuse referral and evaluation center. The range of previously determined developmental diagnoses included mental retardation, speech delay, and autism.
Interventions
None.
Main Outcome Measures
Medical records were reviewed for (1) disclosure, (2) physical evidence, (3) child's behavioral and medical history, (4) disclosures by siblings, (5) perpetrator's confession, (6) child protective services determinations, and (7) court findings.
Results
Four children had evidence of sexual abuse: two had physical findings consistent with sexual abuse, one also disclosed the allegation verbally, and one perpetrator confessed.
Conclusions
These results neither support nor refute validation of facilitated communication. However, many children had other evidence of sexual abuse, suggesting that each child's case should be evaluated without bias.
(Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1994;148:1282-1287)
Author Affiliations
From the Department of Pediatrics, State University of New York Health Science Center, Syracuse. Ms Babuts is now a student at the University of Rochester (NY) Medical Center.
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