Summary: Preventing Child Physical Abuse

However, Cognitive-behavioral therapy is one of the most well-known theories that has been used to help the victims of maltreatment. Between 2005 and 2006, over one million reports of child maltreatment; to include neglect, physical abuse, and sexual abuse was reported (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2010). In children the effects of maltreatment result in several psychological disorders to include depression, anxiety, PTSD and other behavioral issues whether it happened once or repeatedly.

Each week Child Protective Services receives more than 50,000 allegations of child abuse. Two-thirds of the allegations have enough evidence to start investigations. The results of these investigations showed 2,450 children are abused everyday (Ianelli, 2006). In 1999, CPS, nearly four, confirmed an estimated 1,401 child abuse and neglect fatalities every day. (Child Abuse Statistics, nd).

Children who are victims of child physical abuse will have the bruises, scars, and possible internal injuries to show for it. A study by Naidoo (2000) looked at the different

In 2011-2012 the National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) released staggering survey data on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) reporting that approximately 35 million U.S. children had experienced at least one or more childhood traumas (Stevens, 2013). If this data is valid, so far none refuted, this would mean that a high percentage of children are at risk for chronic disease and mental illness (Stevens, 2013). A direct link between childhood trauma and the adult onset of chronic disease, mental illness, violence and being a victim of violence was revealed from the center of disease control and prevention (CDC)’s adverse childhood experiences study(ACE) (Stevens, 2013).

It is estimated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human services that one million children are victims of child abuse and neglect in the U.S every year. This number may be an underrepresentation however, as many cases are unreported. Children who experience trauma in early childhood years or adolescence have impacts that follow them throughout adulthood. The common effects include relationship attachment issues, mental disorders, substance abuse, increased

There are multiple ways the effects of child maltreat may present in adult survivors including emotionally, physically, behaviorally, psychologically, and/or socially. These effects reach beyond that of the adult survivor into their families and society as a whole. In order for treatment to be effective it needs to be multi-focused on reducing risk factors of negative long-term effects as well as promote protective factors ensuring the ongoing welfare of the maltreated child and her/his family (Vermont 's Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention-FFY’11 Annual Grant Report, 2013). This researcher proposes that early and proper treatment of child maltreatment will enable survivors to go on and live happy, healthy, productive adult lives.

The maltreatment of children occurs at extraordinarily increasing proportions and is becoming a significant health risk to the children it is happening to. One of the major public health concerns should be identifying the risk factors associated with the maltreatment of these children and the just how much resistance these children really have against this abuse. Regardless of how much elasticity the general public in a whole may think these children have against maltreatment, they are still at a major risk of having diminished or compromised psychological and physical health later in life as an adult and are also are at extreme risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Children who were not subject to maltreatment are still

According to Pecora, Sanders, Wilson, English, Puckett & Rudlang-Perman (2014), “Every year in the USA, about 695,000 unique children are confirmed as victims of child maltreatment (US Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children’s Bureau 2011) (p. 321). Such startling statistics suggest that child abuse is not just a public health issue; it is an epidemic. However, research reveals that prevention is possible through a collaborative effort made by parents, schools, the government, social services, and the

Christian (2015) in the article “Evaluation of Suspected Child Physical Abuse” aims to provide a clinical guidance to evaluate the suspected physical abuse in children and determine the suitable treatment depending on the radiological diagnosis. The prevalence of this study was limited in the US to whom are inflicted the four types of child abuse; physical, emotional, sexual and neglect abuse. Christian (2015) divide the type of child abuse into two types; server (long term) and minor injury (long- term effect). In 2004, they declare that 26.4% of the cases that registered in the USA as a child abuse were pushed, grabbed or slapped. So, the sign of physical harm is considerably noticeable. However, it is unclear in some cases that are unreported

However, all forms of child abuse carry emotional consequences because the child's psychological and emotional development inevitably suffers from all forms of abuse. An intervention model that would focus on emotional abuse could also focus on preventing other forms of abuse because violent behavior towards children often comes from the same underlying causes, and most risk factors for child maltreatment are associated with caregiver, family, and environmental factors (McDonald, 2007). With this in mind, a possible solution would have to include early detection, but the intervention would most likely focus on factors that cause all types of child abuse. Despite the widespread occurrences of all forms of abuse, emotional neglect or maltreatment are practically impossible to detect while they occur and impair the child's normal development and social integration. Emotional abuse includes includes verbal, mental, and psychological maltreatment of children, and it is frequently overlooked by the community and mental health professionals who do not define emotional abuse as a suitable factor for diagnostic purposes (as cited in Schneider, Baumrind, & Kimerling, 2007). In reality, emotional abuse is frequently used in many families, it occurs in several worldwide cultures, and it carries significant consequences that should not be overlooked.

Along with symptoms and causes of child physical abuse, physical abuse has long-term impacts on children. According to Adults Surviving Child Abuse (2015), research has found that childhood abuse contributes to the likelihood of depression, anxiety disorders, addictions, personality disorders, sexual disorders and suicidal behavior. A recent study found that almost 76% of adults reporting child physical abuse and neglect have at least one psychiatric disorder in their lifetime and nearly 50% have three or more psychiatric disorders (Adults Surviving Child Abuse, 2015). Several long-term impacts include decrease performance at school or education, criminal risk taking behaviors, drugs and alcohol problems, medical diseases, relationships problems, isolation/social disconnection and behavior health effects. Performance at school or education is decreased since the child attends school less frequently. A physical abuse child misses school to conceal their injuries. Children that were physically abused are more likely to engage in drug and alcohol. According to Wisdom and Hiller-Sturmhofel (n.d), experience of being abused as a child may increase a person’s risk for alcohol-related problems as an adult. For medical diseases, a study shown in multivariate models controlling for age, sex, childhood adversities, and family background, childhood physical abuse predicted a graded increase in depression, anxiety, anger, physical symptoms, and medical diagnoses. Childhood physical

The Hope for Children and Families manual describes child maltreatment as “a context in which children and young people are exposed to harmful parenting and/or abusive or neglectful situations” (Bentovim and Elliott, 2014, p. 270). The manual was developed to prevent future neglectful and abusive parenting and the related mental health effects on children. Researchers established the existence of effective practice elements by using 22 randomized control trials (RCTs) and compared their manual with an existing approach. The need for a new approach is evidence that there is not enough being done to effectively treat and eliminate the long term effects of childhood abuse.

Child Physical Abuse. (2015, September 19). Retrieved October 4, 2015, from http://www.americanhumane.org/children/stop-child-abuse/fact-sheet/child-physical abuse Glaser, D. (1995, October 28). Development after Physical Abuse in Early Childhood. Retrieved October 4, 2015, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/29729341

Throughout the course of history, millions of children have been victims of physical abuse; it has been shown that the effects of this abuse can profoundly influence ones mental and physical health in the span of his or hers life.

Emotional abuse can cause serious burdens on society. Emotional abuse has a significant cost in educational and societal failures, crime, and health care costs (Hibbard, Barlow, & MacMillan, 2012) Pediatricians need to be alert and trained in recognizing emotional maltreatment of children. This can be a very difficult task for pediatricians. Learning to interview children when they are developmentally ready is an important skill which can be critical in detecting emotional abuse. Children who have been emotionally abused have higher rates of psychological disorders such as depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and aggression. Providers need to be cognizant of risk factors that may indicate a greater risk for emotional abuse. Some of the risk factors were parental psychiatric illness, depression, and substance