CHILD BATTERING IN NAIROBI, KENYA

A survey of battered children was carried out at Kenyatta National Hos pital, Nairobi between 1st May 1989 and 30th April 1990. Twenty eight cases were identified and compared with twenty six controls, matched f or age and sex. The battered children were likely to be aged between t hree and four years, with slight male predominance. The abusing parent s tended to live in crowded environments, were younger in age, less ed ucated and were less likely to be practising contraception. They were relatively new migrants to Nairobi and were socially isolated. The soc io-economic and cultural issues are discussed.