THE PAPER TAKES PARTICULAR INTEREST IN ABUSED CHILDREN AND EARLY RECOGNITION OF THE ABUSED CHILD. AFTER DEFINING A 'BATTERED CHILD,' THE REPORT EXAMINES THE PREVALENCE OF NONACCIDENTAL INJURIES SEEN IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM. CLASSIFICATIONS OF ABUSE ARE BASED ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CHILD AND THE STATE OF THE PARENTS' MIND AT THE TIME THE CHILD WAS HARMED. EITHER NORMAL OR BIZARRE ACTIVE PHYSICAL ABUSE OF THE CHILD MAY HAVE BEEN INFLICTED, AND THERE MAY BE PASSIVE ABUSE OF THE CHILD THROUGH NEGLECT. THE MENTAL STATE OF THE ADULT INVOLVED MAY ALSO BE ACTIVE OR PASSIVE. GREATER DIFFICULTY IS EXPERIENCED IN DIAGNOSING ABUSE FROM MINOR INJURIES, AS COMPARED WITH THE STRAIGHTFORWARDNESS OF DIAGNOSING MAJOR INJURIES. THE PAPER DISCUSSES ALERTING SIGNS SUCH AS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BRUISES, FACIAL BRUISING PATTERNS, AND X-RAY FINDINGS. THE PROBLEMS AND DIFFICULTIES OF PERSONS HANDLING ABUSE CASES ARE EXAMINED. EMOTIONAL, INTELLECTUAL, PROFESSIONAL, AND SOMETIMES PHYSICAL DEMANDS ARE PLACED ON SUCH PERSONNEL. THE INADEQUACY OF GREAT BRITAIN'S CHILDREN AND YOUNG PERSONS ACT IS ALSO MENTIONED. THE NEED FOR COOPERATION BETWEEN THE MEDICAL PROFESSION, THE SOCIAL SERVICES, THE VOLUNTARY SOCIETIES, AND THE POLICE FORCES IS DISCUSSED. A CONCLUDING DISCUSSION IS OFFERED WHICH DEALS WITH ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE BATTERING PARENT, AS WELL AS A SUMMARY OF MAIN POINTS AND SUGGESTION. (RBS)