A proper case-history obtained from the patient or the accompanying person is an integral part of the physician’s examination procedure. In many instances the anamnestic data help to determine the correct diagnosis of the disease, impaired function or injury. In young children the health professional must often rely completely on data from the accompanying person. In child injuries the health professional however must not make any mistakes in the differential diagnostic reflections on the mechanism of the injury which develops within the framework of the maltreated, abused and neglected child syndrome (CAN sy).

        Key words: social paediatrics, CAN syndrome, history of injury, notification duty, socio-legal child protection