Depression Tips

A 5 year old boy’s body covered with cigarette burns, an emergency hysterectomy performed on a six-year-old girl after being raped, a teenage suicide after years of sexual abuse. These are the extreme cases. For every known case of child abuse, many more children suffer in silence. Child abuse is not a “rare disease”. It’s escalating day by day. In fact the subject matter of child abuse and neglect frustrates many health professionals because they do not know the best way to assess the abuse and/or intercede. There are 15 incidences of abuse and neglect for every 1,000 children under 18 nationwide. This translates into more than one million abuse and neglect victims reported each year.

Child abuse is harm or susceptible harm to a child’s health or welfare which can occur through non-accidental physical or mental injury; sexual abuse or attempted sexual abuse; sexual exploitation or attempted sexual exploitation. Unfortunately, the more subtle forms of child abuse such as neglect and emotional abuse can be even more traumatizing than violent physical abuse. Child abusers inflict physical, sexual, and emotional trauma on defenseless children every day. The scars can be unfathomable and long-lasting. It can happen in all cultural, ethnic, and income groups. Maltreatment may cause serious injury to the child and may even result in death.

Child Abuse - Warning signs

Child maltreatment includes emotional abuse, physical neglect, sexual abuse, and non-accidental physical injury. The possibility of abuse should be investigated if a child shows a number of these symptoms, or any of them to a marked degree:

Emotional Abuse includes parental expectations which result in aggressive, excessive, or unreasonable demands upon children which are beyond their capabilities. Examples might include the kind of constant teasing that belittles a child or verbal attacks. Sometimes emotional abuse is not what a parent does, but what a parent doesn’t do, such as failure to provide the understanding and nurture necessary for a child’s healthy psychological growth and development. Some examples of emotional abuse are Intimidation, Belittling or shaming, Lack of affection and warmth, Habitual blaming, Ignoring or rejecting, Extreme punishment etc.

Some signs of Emotional child abuse

• Physical, mental and emotional development lags
• Apathy, depression, speech disorders
• Hostility.
• Difficulty concentrating.

Physical Neglect is the withholding of, or failure to provide a child with, the basic necessities of life: clothing, food, medical care, education, attention to hygiene, or adequate supervision.

Some signs of child neglect:

• Clothing unsuited to the weather.
• Being dirty or unbathed.
• Extreme hunger.
• Apparent lack of supervision.

Sexual Abuse is the exploitation of a child for the sexual gratification of an adult. It may range from exhibitionism and fondling to intercourse and the use of children in pornographic materials.

Some signs of sexual child abuse:

• Inappropriate interest in or knowledge of sexual acts.
• Seductiveness.
• Avoidance of things related to sexuality, or rejection of own genitals or body.
• Either over compliance or excessive aggression.
• Fear of a particular person or family member.

Non-accidental Physical Injury may include severe beatings, burns, human bites, broken bones, strangulation, shaking, or serious internal injuri

Some signs of physical child abuse:

• Burn, bite marks, cuts, bruises, or welts in the shape of an object.
• Resistance to going home.
• Fear of adults.

Suspected Abuse

Many people fear that reporting child abuse or neglect will destroy a family. The truth, however, is that getting help can protect children from further harm and assist the family in facing and overcoming its problems. We can all help end child abuse by becoming aware of the signs and reporting suspected cases of child abuse and neglect. It’s probably best to consider the array of factors which deny children the feeling of being loved or deny children basic physical necessities. You can call child protective services to discuss the appropriateness of referrals if you’re not sure.

The best way to determine if a child has been abused is to listen to them. Talk to your children patiently. Show compassion & love towards them. Discuss child abuse, drugs, sex, school, and their interests. Remember that if a child tells you that maltreatment are happening, say: “I believe you.”, “I will help you in any way that I can.”, “You are not at fault.”, “We cannot keep this a secret - we need to get help.” Let them know you will be there for them if and when they need to talk to someone.

With this firm determination that by knowing the traumatic effects of child abuse each one of us must take vow to stop this misdemeanor act as soon as possible and ready for the new HUMAN REVOLUTION.