Protecting Texas Children’s most vulnerable patients drives Dr. Marcella Donaruma-Kwoh every day, both on the hospital floors and in the communities she serves.
As one of 11 child abuse pediatric providers in the Division of Public Health Pediatrics at Texas Children’s, Dr. Donaruma-Kwoh evaluates patients suspected of neglect or abuse, collaborates with specialty care teams, reviews referrals and provides expert testimony in family and criminal courts.
Her interest in child abuse pediatrics began during residency, when a patient died after being poisoned by his mother. That experience led her to pursue a fellowship in Child Abuse Pediatrics (CAP) in 2005. A joint program between Texas Children’s and Baylor College of Medicine, CAP trains physicians to identify, assess and manage cases of suspected child abuse and neglect.
Dr. Donaruma-Kwoh, who is still part of CAP, focuses on education and clinical care within the division. Her team trains CAP fellows, pediatric residents, physician assistants and medical students on how to provide high-quality care and comprehensive clinical evaluations to patients who are suspected victims of maltreatment.
“I am so grateful for my teammates,” Dr. Donaruma-Kwoh said. “Spending time with such a caring, thoughtful and fun group makes it easier to navigate the strain of helping patients and families living with many types of adverse experiences.”
Her team also conducts robust outreach. For instance, the team has trained more than 4,000 Houston Fire Department first responders, coordinated statewide trial skills training for family court attorneys and developed clinical guidelines to help providers at our hospital identify and evaluate physical abuse. Click here to view the guidelines.
Dr. Donaruma-Kwoh shared that team members do not need to be experts in child abuse pediatrics to make an impact. By connecting with the CAP team, they can ask questions, join case discussions and consult on management strategies to help ensure patients receive timely, appropriate care.
She emphasized that this collaborative approach is a key part of the work she finds so meaningful.
“I cannot imagine more rewarding work,” Dr. Donaruma-Kwoh said. “Our patients are often in the midst of chaos, describing trauma that many families could not imagine. The optimism, courage and resilience of these kids awes me, and I am honored to contribute to their care.”
In honor of National Child Abuse Prevention Month, Texas Children’s is proud to recognize team members like Dr. Donaruma-Kwoh, whose dedication, compassion and expertise drive education, strengthen prevention efforts, and protect our hospital’s most vulnerable patients.
If your team would like to learn more about child abuse prevention education or partner with the CAP team, please contact Diane Kaulen at dbkaulen@texaschildrens.org.