These marks may also help in the investigative process. In some cases, however, bruises are acquired innocently, through play and accidental falls, or when a child has a defect in his or her clotting mechanism. For example, a baby is brought to the hospital with purple bruises on several body surfaces. There is usually a history of bruising easily in families with such inherited diseases. Multiple bruises can occur in children with leukemia.
Diseases causing easy bruising, however, are rare, and inflicted bruises are much more common.
The medical diagnosis of clotting disorders requires blood tests and interpretation of those tests by qualified physicians. Therefore, law enforcement officers should try to determine if bruises are the result of an accident or due to physical abuse. Police must also remember never to jump to conclusions and to make a complete investigation of all aspects of suspected child abuse. However, their first duty is to secure the safety of the child quickly. In addition, they are commonly found in African Americans, Asians, and Hispanics.