...History of Child Abuse Kayleigh Keller BSHS/408 March 30, 2015 Marcia Winter History of Child Abuse Child abuse has been happening for all of recorded history. The views on it have changed drastically, especially in the last 50 years or so. It used to be something that was just swept under the rug and kept behind closed doors. Now, however, with all of the new laws that protect children and punish abusers more severely, child abuse is something that is taken very seriously. To know why the different laws and policies are what they are, human services workers need to have an understanding of how history has shaped them. This paper will discuss that, along with the extent of child abuse and neglect. In addition, this paper will explain how the different types of child abuse and neglect compare and contrast. Finally, the implications of child abuse and neglect will be addressed. History of Child Abuse and Neglect Ancient Cultures Many ancient cultures saw fit to kill infants that were deformed or weak. In addition, many newborn infants were subjected to very harsh treatment and neglect. The textbook, Protecting Our Children: Understanding and Preventing Abuse and Neglect in Early Childhood (2010), explains how early cultures viewed infants, “Children of Greece and Rome were not given names until they were several days or months old…Spartans required infants to be exposed to the elements after birth…Ancient Chinese culture required infants to be left unfed in...
Words: 291 - Pages: 2
...The most common form of abuse seen in the infant is known as shaken baby syndrome (SBS). “Every year in America an estimated 1200 to 1400 children are shaken, and of these victims, 25% to 30% die as a result of their injuries. The rest will have life-long complications (Perry, 2010).” According to the American Humane Association another type of abuse seen in infants is physical abuse defined as non-accidental trauma or physical injury (2007). Neglect, both physical and emotional, is also considered abuse. Typical warning signs seen would be the lack of separation anxiety in the older infant, but more importantly, “the parent is disgusted by child's odor, sounds, drooling, or stools. (Jarvis 2012).” Upon physical assessment the nurse should suspect child abuse when finding multiple bruising at various stages of healing or pattern injuries, especially in infants as they do not walk. Infants subjected to abuse may also present with failure to thrive or growth failure. In India Muslims and Hindus participate in a ceremony were children are dropped from the tower onto a tightly stretched sheet, bounce and are caught and handed to the mothers. The culture believes it is good for the infants’ health, however others may see this as harmful to them. In Arizona it is the nurse’s responsibility to report any and all suspected or actual cases of child abuse and neglect to local authorities or Child Protective Services. This is necessary for all cases where the individual is under the...
Words: 325 - Pages: 2
...situation that involved a mother and father with sex offender backgrounds and a premature infant that was in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). In this patient situation I observed social worker from the Illinois Department of Child and Family Services take away the parental and visiting rights of the mother and father due to their history. The mother of this infant was pumping to provide her baby with the breast milk needed for growth and development. As defined by Townsend (2014) an ethical dilemma requires a person to make a decision in a situation that seems to have no satisfactory solution, or the “choice is between two equally unfavorable alternatives” (p. 60). This became a difficult ethical...
Words: 2304 - Pages: 10
...Child abuse is a serious matter. No matter what ethnic or social background someone comes from there is the potential for abuse. The Federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), as amended and reauthorized by the CAPTA Reauthorization Act of 2010, defines child abuse and neglect as, “Any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation; or an act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm.” Abuse is often hidden from view and many times its victims are too young or fearful to speak out. Experts suggest that its true prevalence is possibly much greater than the official data indicate. An estimated 896,000 children across the United States were victims of abuse or neglect in 2002, this is according to national data released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 2004. Young mothers, single-parent families, and parental alcohol or drug abuse are common in reported cases (Encyclopedia of Children’s Health). Statistics show that more than 90% of abusing parents have neither psychotic nor criminal personalities. But they actually tend to be lonely, unhappy, angry, young, and single parents who do not plan their pregnancies, and/or have little or no knowledge of child development, that results in unrealistic expectations for their child’s behavior. It’s reported that anywhere from 10% -40% of abusive parents were themselves physically...
Words: 614 - Pages: 3
...Impact and Relationship of Substance Abuse and Child Maltreatment: Risk and Resiliency Factors What Research Tells Us Martha Morrison Dore, Ph.D. Columbia University School of Social Work 622 West 113th Street New York, New York 10027 212/854-5461 Paper prepared for presentation at the conference entitled “Protecting Children in Substance Abusing Families,” September 28, 1998, sponsored by the Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare, University of Minnesota School of Social Work, Minneapolis, MN. Researchers are just beginning to demonstrate empirically what child protective services workers have been observing for nearly two decades now: many, if not most, families who come to the attention of the child welfare system are involved with drugs or alcohol or both. Founded cases of child abuse and neglect have risen exponentially since the mid-1980s, when the crack form of cocaine, a cheap, easily used form of the drug, became widely available. Studies conducted since that time have identified substance abuse as a contributing factor in 40% to 80% of substantiated cases of child maltreatment (Curtis & McCullough, 1993; Magura & Laudet, 1996; Murphy, Jellinek, Quinn, Smith, Poitrast, & Goshko, 1991). Further, studies of substance abusing parents have found child-rearing beliefs and attitudes that heighten risk for child abuse (Williams-Peterson et al., 1994), as well as elevated rates of first-time reports to child protective services (Jaudes & Ekwo, 1995), re-reports...
Words: 9354 - Pages: 38
...Shaken baby syndrome is often seen in infant under the age of 1year. Shaken baby syndrome is caused by forcefully and violently shaking a baby. SBS is a leading cause of child abuse deaths in the United States. Babies (newborn to 4 months) are at greatest risk of injury from shaking. Inconsolable crying is a primary trigger for shaking a baby. Physical signs of abuse do not always occur with shaken baby syndrome. However, an X-ray or eye examination by a doctor may show signs of trauma. A doctor may detect rib fractures or notice bleeding behind a baby’s eyes. If symptoms do appear with shaken baby syndrome, they may include: difficulty staying awake, body tremors, breathing difficulties, poor eating habits, vomiting, discolored skin, and seizures. Neglect is another form of abuse seen in this age group. Federal officials define neglect as a failure to meet a child's basic needs, including housing, clothing, feeding and access to medical care. It's not primarily infants being hit, but parents showing signs of not being able to really care for their infants and abandonment and newborn drug addiction also qualifies as neglect. Physical abuse such as punching, beating, kicking, biting, throwing, stabbing, choking, hitting (with a hand, stick, strap, or other object), and burning occurs in this age group also. Ways to recognize abuse in infants, they may display changes in appetite, a total loss of interest in food, unexplained gagging and vomiting, and other symptoms related...
Words: 390 - Pages: 2
...Maternal Substance Abuse During Pregnancy The choice to use drugs is just that—a choice. Pregnant women who make the conscientious decision to abuse substances shall realize that when they chose to use drugs, they assumed responsibility for the natural consequences and shall be held accountable for their own actions by law. It is fair to assume that the mother also made a choice to be sexually active, allowing the opportunity to become pregnant; and, regardless of whether or not she planned the pregnancy, she allowed the pregnancy to come to term. “Children, like all people, have the right to be free from having drugs introduced into their systems by others,” (Merrick, 1993). For the reason of choice and this reason, the rights to freedom, there shall be criminal penalties for mothers who give birth to substance-exposed infants. Janna Merrick (1993) accurately stated that, “pregnancy is unlike any other medical condition in that care must be provided simultaneously for both the woman and the fetus.” Because a fetus is unable to protect or fend for itself prior to birth, it becomes the mother's obligation to do so for their unborn child. Mother’s that are unable to properly care for their child in utero are clearly unfit mothers from the very start; and, adding any form of substance abuse to that mix only puts the child at greater risk for medical complications and suffering post delivery. If, as a society, we work to reduce the incidence of maternal substance abuse by prosecution...
Words: 1039 - Pages: 5
...PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT Psychological Effects of Child Abuse and Neglect Freddy Cabrera General Psychology 1012 4 April 2012 Florida National College Abstract Child abuse and neglect is a growing issue that threatens the health of its victims not only physically but psychologically as well. Some of these psychological effects include difficulties during infancy, poor mental and emotional health, cognitive difficulties, and social difficulties. Psychological Effects of Child Abuse and Neglect The year is 2012 and in this day in age, society is still faced with issues such as child abuse and neglect. “An estimated 905,000 children were victims of child abuse or neglect in 2006” (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2008). Child abuse and neglect is a growing dilemma not only in the United States but also worldwide. Child abuse and neglect is an issue that must be studied to see the significant effects it has on its victims. These effects can be great, the most prominent being physical, psychological, and societal consequences. The following will focus on the psychological effects, and these can be summarized with difficulties during infancy, poor mental and emotional health, cognitive difficulties, and social difficulties. When taking a look at child abuse and neglect one must start at the earliest point in which such can occur. This first point is infancy. During infancy, the child is most vulnerable due to its dependency on the mother...
Words: 1800 - Pages: 8
...Understanding Child Abuse and Neglect Tommy Wilson Child Abuse and Neglect (CJ436) August 12,2010 Child Abuse and Neglect Child abuse and neglect is a growing problem in the United States. Child abuse and neglect may take place in many forms. It is important that we have a clear understanding of the reporter’s expression when reading news article. Many of these news articles provide detailed information concerning the growing problems and available programs concerning child abuse and neglect. After reading nine news articles related to child abuse and neglect, I was able to understand the reporter’s expressions and view points. Reporters often use various techniques to expresses themselves; words may be used to catch the reader’s attention. A majority of reporters provide their own view points of the people involved in the abuse, in many cases, the parents of the victimized child. Additionally, many news articles offer solutions to child abuse and neglect. The first news article I read was “A Tragedy That Is Ours to Stop”. This news article was writing by Colbert I. King and published by The Washington Post. The news article was centered on the death of a 5 month old infant. Once again the murderer is the mother of the infant. King opens the eyes of many readers by revealing that the death of the 5 month old infant is much deeper than the average child abuse case. The death took place when the 15 year old mother rolled over on...
Words: 2411 - Pages: 10
...Child abuse is a very common occurrence in society today, although some people may not be aware that the abuse occurs in the home where the bruises can be hidden behind clothes, makeup and lies. There are four different types of abuse, physical, sexual, emotional, and neglect, unfortunately many cases of abuse become fatalities. Emotional abuse includes acts or the failure to act by parents or caretakers of the child that have caused or could cause serious behavioral, cognitive, emotional or mental disorders (International Child Abuse Network-ICAN). This can include bizarre forms of punishment, such as confinement in a closet , belittling, rejecting, threatening, terrorizing, scapegoating or blaming the child. According to the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) 2.9% of child abuse fatalities were associated with emotional abuse. Sexual abuse is the inappropriate sexual behavior between an adult and a child. It includes fondling a child, making a child fondle an adult, intercourse, incest, rape, sodomy, and sexual exploitation. To be considered child abuse these acts have to be committed by a person responsible for the care of the child (baby sitter, parent, day care provider) or related to the child. According to NCANDS 0.3% of child abuse fatalities are due to sexual abuse. Physical abuse, is the infliction of physical injury upon the child. This can include burning, hitting, punching, shaking, kicking, beating, or otherwise hurting a child. ...
Words: 1294 - Pages: 6
...Infants with Intrauterine Drug Exposure Between 400,000 and 440,000. That is the number of estimated infants affected by prenatal alcohol or illicit drug exposure each year according to the National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare. That is between ten and eleven percent of all births and frankly that number is way too high. Major maternal substances of abuse that affect newborns are amphetamines, opiates, cocaine, tobacco and alcohol. These substances can have severe adverse neonatal and long term effects. What is to blame for this extremely elevated statistic? Well, illicit drug use by a mother-to-be or even the use of legal substances such as alcohol or tobacco coincides with several other influences that can also impact a child’s life. Examples include lack of prenatal care, socioeconomic status, role of the father, support systems, and the caregiving ability of the mother, all of which play enormous roles in child development and maternal drug use. Almost all drugs of abuse follow a similar mechanism of action in the adult brain; this mechanism alters the pathways for reward by flooding the circuits with dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that exists in areas of the brain that power movement, motivation, emotion, and feelings of pleasure. The overstimulation of this system produces euphoric effects in response to the drugs. This reaction initiates the cycle that tells people to keep abusing drugs. As a person...
Words: 1204 - Pages: 5
...delinquent. Domestic violence is an ongoing experience of physical, psychologic, and/or sexual abuse in the home that is used to establish power and control over another person.1 Although awareness about the rate of domestic violence in our society is increasing, the public health ramifications have only recently been recognized in the medical community. The majority of the medical literature to date has focused on the effect of domestic violence on the primary victim. What effect does witnessing domestic violence have on secondary victims, such as children who live in homes where partner abuse occurs? It is estimated that 3.2 million American children witness incidents of domestic violence annually.2 Witnessing domestic violence can lead children to develop an array of age-dependent negative effects. Research in this area has focused on the cognitive, behavioral, and emotional effects of domestic violence. Children who witness violence in the home and children who are abused may display many similar psychologic effects.3,4 These children are at greater risk for internalized behaviors such as anxiety and depression, and for externalized behaviors such as fighting, bullying, lying, or cheating. They also are more disobedient at home and at school, and are more likely to have social competence problems, such as poor school performance and difficulty in relationships with others.5–9 Child witnesses display inappropriate attitudes about violence as a means of resolving conflict and...
Words: 2315 - Pages: 10
...Policies for Substance Abuse During Pregnancy Executive Summary 1. A statement of current policy 2. Reasons for initiation changes 3. Policy options to be considered 4. Pros and cons of each option 5. Recommended course of action 6. Reasoning for selecting that course of action Overview/Background * Statement of purpose – What is the significance of this issue, what is the history, scope – who is impacted by this issue, how is it relevant to social work The phenomenon of substance abuse during pregnancy is one that has stirred much controversy in the last three decades. The significance of this social problem is how to create policies that would address this issue and decrease future instances. The problem in writing a policy that attacks motherhood, health and reproduction rights is whether to respond to it as a criminal act or mental illness. The 1980’s began the widespread concern about substance abuse during pregnancy with the dramatic increase in newborns prenatally exposed to drugs, in particular, primarily crack cocaine. In response to the increased awareness of this problem many states developed policies to address the needs of these infants, however with the lack of federal policy there was no national uniformity or cohesion. This is certainly relevant to social work because of the increase in new cases of substance abusing parents, possible cases of neglect and child maltreatment as well as issues of health insurance and medical...
Words: 1258 - Pages: 6
...Child abuse and maltreatment is not limited to a particular age and can occur in the infant, toddler, preschool, and school-age years. Choose one of the four age groups (infant, toddler, preschool, or school age) and discuss the types of abuse that are most often seen in this age. Discuss warning signs and physical and emotional assessment findings the nurse may see that could indicate child abuse. Discuss cultural variations of health practices that can be misidentified as child abuse. Describe the reporting mechanism in your state and nurse responsibilities related to the reporting of suspected child abuse. Include in-text citations and references for each of the scholarly sources used. Respond to other learners' posts in a manner that initiates or contributes to discussion. Every walk of life in our society is plagued with child abuse, which comes in many forms. According to the U.S. Health Department, of the children who experienced maltreatment or abuse, over 78% experienced neglect; more than 17% were physically abused; just under 10% were sexually abused; approximately 8% were psychologically maltreated; and just over 2% were medically neglected. Culturally some rituals are considered abusive. Geographic and demographic differences can influence what is considered abuse as well. However sexual abuse is one that would not be considered socially acceptable in any walk of life. Teenage girls are most affected by this form of abuse. They are more likely than males to experience...
Words: 558 - Pages: 3
...Syndrome in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) is the withdrawing process that occurs in the postnatal life of newborns after being born to drug addicted mothers. Heroin, codeine, oxycodone, methadone and buprenorphine are opiates and narcotics that are commonly abused throughout pregnancy. Symptoms that an infant may exhibit within the first 24-72 hours of life are: hyperirritability, excessive sucking, inconsolable crying, sweating, diarrhea, sneezing (3-4 times within 30 minutes), tremors/seizures, poor feeding/regurgitation and mottling of the skin. The Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses, (AWOHNN), convene on an annual basis nationally and provide monthly webinars on various topics. The organization is subcategorized into multiple chapters within each of the 50 states, in which Pennsylvania has six divisions. “Care of Newborns Prenatally Exposed to Opiates” has been a webinar within the last year based on AWOHNN’s webinar calendar. I chose this committee based on their mission statement of improving and promoting the health of women and infants to support the nursing profession through research and education. The name of the journal published by AWOHNN is the Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing (JOGNN). My research was done through CINAHL under Drexel’s library resource and by using the keywords of “neonatal abstinence syndrome” and the journal, JOGNN. At...
Words: 812 - Pages: 4
