This information is provided by the Ohio Department of Human Services. Many thanks to them for providing wonderful information on the topic of Child Abuse and Neglect.
The very nature of childhood invites accidents. Children are curious and fearless. They run, climb, jump, and explore. A child's motor skills, usually outpace his cognitive skills, allowing him to approach danger without recognizing it. How can you distinguish between the accidental injury caused by the exuberance of childhood from the nonaccidental injury caused by the abuse of an adult?
When observing injury you suspect might be the result of abuse, consider:
-Where is the injury?
Certain
locations on the body are more likely to sustain accidental injury: knees,
elbows, shins, the forehead; all are parts of the body which can be injured
during an accidental fall or bump. Protected or nonprotuberant parts of the
body, such as the back, thighs, genital area, buttocks, back of legs, or face,
are less likely to accidentally come into contact with objects which could cause
injury. For example, bruised knees and shins on a toddler are likely to be the
result of normal age-related activity; bruises on the lower back are less likely
to have been inflicted nonaccidentally.
-How many injuries does the child have? Are
there several injuries occurring at one time or over a period of time?
The greater the number of injuries, the greater the cause for concern. Unless
involved in a serious accident, a child is not likely to sustain a number of
different injuries accidentally. Injuries in different stages of healing can
suggest a chronological pattern of occurrence.
-What are the size and shape of the injury?
Many
nonaccidental injuries are inflicted with familiar objects: a stick, a board, a
belt, a hair brush. The marks which result bear strong resemblance to the
object which was used. For example, welts caused by beating a child with an
electrical cord might be loop shaped; a belt might cause bruises in the shape of
the buckle. Accidental marks resulting from bumps and falls usually have no
defined shape.
-Does the description of how the injury
occurred seem likely?
If an injury is accidental, there should be a
reasonable explanation of how it happened which is consistent with its severity,
type, and location. When the description of how the injury occurred and the
appearance of the injury do not seem related, there is cause for concern. Could
a fall off a chair onto a rug produce bruises all over the body?
-Is the injury consistent with the child's
developmental capabilities?
As a child grows and gains new skills, he
increases his ability to engage in activities which can cause injury. A toddler
trying to run is likely to suffer bruised knees and a bump on the head before
the skill is perfected. He is less likely to suffer a broken arm than is an
eight-year-old who has discovered the joy of climbing trees. A two-week-old
infant does not have the movement capability to self-inflict a bruise
-Accidents do happen
Parents are
not perfect. Injuries occur which may have been avoided. Still, accidents of
nature should not happen repeatedly
Child Abuse and neglect is a serious and widespread problem that cannot be stopped without all of us working together. Here are some was you can help:
**Learn to recognize the warning signals and indicators of child abuse or neglect, contact the public children services or law enforcement agency. Encourage your friends to do the same. Most people do not want to hurt or neglect their children, but are faced with problems they cannot solve alone. Help them get the Help.
**Talk to your child every day and take time to really listen and observe. Learn as many details as you can about your child's activities and feelings. Encourage him to share concerns and problems with you.
**Work toward eliminating the causes of child abuse and neglect. Encourage your schools to provide classes in parenting education. Support the social service programs in your community.
**Work with members of your city council and your mayor to establish child abuse and neglect as a community priority.
**Help institute an emergency foster home, day care or latchkey, block parent, or home-based service program in your community.
**Volunteer to be a Big Brother, Big Sister, or Mother's Friend. Offer to teach your skills to parents and children who need your help. Abuse or neglect may occur because a family is isolated and without the support of friends or family. Share your friendship by volunteering at your children services agency.
**Your attic or basement may hold dozens of items that would be of value to a needy family. Donate household goods, pots and pans, towels, and linens, and canned goods to your children services agency.
**Encourage members of your community to support children's protective services programs. Write letters to the editor of your newspaper. Call your radio and television stations and ask them to run public service announcements and editorials about child abuse and neglect. Contact the opinion leaders in your community. Ask your clergyman to deliver a sermon about child abuse and neglect.
**Apply to be a foster parent. Your home may be certified to provide foster care for children who are victims of abuse or neglect. If you are interested in being a foster parent, find out about the program from your children services agency.
**Encourage your friends and neighbors to learn about child abuse and neglect. Invite representatives from your children services agency to talk to your clubs and school groups about child abuse and neglect.
Now for information on how, who and what to report on child abuse and neglect. Also what to do if I child tells you about the abuse or neglect. Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect.