The role of the physicians and surgeons in Poland is concerned primarily with early diagnosis and treatment of the child maltreatment. In Poland, after child abuse or neglect is diagnosed, reports must be made to Social Welfare and the district prosecutor's office. Prevention is too complex for the medical profession alone. Solving the problems of child abuse requires cooperation with teachers, lawyers, social scientists, psychologists, economists, and politicians; however, concern outside the medical profession is still insufficient. Although there are attempts at a universal definition of child abuse, there is no single definition in Poland. Although child abuse that results from intentional physical and psychosocial cruelty by parents and caretakers can occur at any age, in Poland child maltreatment is most common in infants and children under the age of 3, and girls are affected more often than boys. The clinical experience at the pediatric surgical ward at Bielany Hospital in Warsaw has identified the main criterion for diagnosing child abuse; that is, the parents' explanation of the injury is inconsistent with the clinical profile of the injury itself. Guidelines are also presented for managing the child while under hospital care, so that physical and emotional pain are minimized.