Step 1: Battered baby (battered child) syndrome refers to repetitive non-accidental physical injuries inflicted on a child by a parent or guardian. It is also called Caffey-Kempe syndrome or maltreatment syndrome.
Step 2: Because the abuse is repeated over time, the hallmark finding is multiple injuries of DIFFERENT ages - bruises in different stages of color/healing, plus old and new fractures, and oral mucosal lacerations.
Step 3: The parents typically give a vague or changing history that does not fit the injuries. Accidental injuries, by contrast, fall on bony prominences (forehead, occiput, shins, elbows, knees), are of one age, and match the stated history.
Step 4: Stab and gunshot wounds are not characteristic of this syndrome, so the identifying feature is bruises of different ages.