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Child Abuse and Neglect

Abbey Ragusa

February 9th, 2018

AAST

Child Abuse and Neglect

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Child abuse and neglect is defined as anything that causes physical and/or mental harm to

anyone under the age of 18. In the United States, about one out of every 100 children suffer from

some form of abuse or neglect, whether it is severe or mild (Child Abuse and Neglect, 2017).

Even though it is an uprising issue now, child abuse has been around for centuries. During

slavery, a disrespectful child could be resold into slavery, physically punished, or dismembered

(Wienclaw, 2013). Ancient Mesopotamia was one of the first to recognize child abuse and create

laws to try and stop it (Wienclaw, 2013). Some forms of child include child prostitution, child

labor, and compulsory recruitment for military purposes (Child Abuse and Neglect, 2017).

Types

Physical, sexual, medical, and emotional are all different types of abuse. Physical abuse

is when someone is physically injured or put at risk by another person on purpose, in this case a

child would be put at risk by an adult (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2015). Examples include beating,

biting, burning, or anything that hurts the child physically. Sexual abuse is any sexual activity

with a child, including oral-genital contact, fondling, incest, molestation, and intercourse (Mayo

Clinic Staff, 2015). Sexual abuse is most unreported form of child abuse because of the

“secrecy” that makes these cases (Primavera & Jackson, 2013). Medical abuse is purposely

making the child sick and putting them in severe danger because of the illness (Mayo Clinic

Staff). Emotional abuse involves lowering the child’s self-esteem and emotional well-being

(Mayo Clinic Staff). It involves ignoring, betraying, and rejecting the child. However, the most

common type of child abuse is neglect, which is when the parents fail to meet the child’s needs

(Child Abuse and Neglect, 2017). In 2000, half of the United State’s state governments

officially made abandonment a form of abuse (Child Abuse and Neglect, 2017).

Signs and Symptoms

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The earliest sign of abuse in infants is the failure to thrive (Primavera & Jackson, 2013).

Infants suffering from abuse tend to lose weight, show little interest in the outside world, and

exhibit little signs of happiness such as laughter and smiling (Primavera & Jackson, 2013).

Untreated medical problems, unexplained injuries, changes in behavior, and withdrawal from

friends and activities are the most common signs and symptoms (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2015). A

child who is suffering from sexual abuse may have trouble walking and/or sitting and may suffer

from frequent urinary tract infections (Wienclaw, 2013). A child who is being neglected may beg

for money and food (Wienclaw, 2013). About 30% of abusive parents were abused as children,

but most abused children state that they will never put their children through what they went

through (Primavera & Jackson, 2013).

Effects on Education

Children starting school that are being abused show signs of fear and anxiety, and tend to

have agressive motives (Primavera & Jackson, 2013). Play and imagination are major roles in

childhood. Children who are abused show little to no interest in playing and have a blunt

imagination (Primavera & Jackson, 2013). School-aged children show signs of depression and

withdrawal. Children suffering from neglect usually have frequent absences from school

(Wienclaw, 2013). If a child is being abused at home, homework may also not be completed. It is

common for abusive parents to ask their child’s teacher to use harsh punishment if they “act-out”

in school (Wienclaw, 2013). Abused children are also reluctant to ride the bus to school because

they don’t want to interact with other people (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2015). If a child doesn’t feel

safe at their home, they may not want to go to sleep which can lead to sleeping disorders. An

abused child may end up falling asleep in class and missing out on the lesson. Abused children
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will tend to not care about school since their mind is constantly thinking about their problems at

home.

Conclusion

Child abuse has been an issue for centuries, and it is now becoming an uprising social

problem. Children should be disciplined, but children should also be protected. Better definitions

and clarifications for the different types of abuse should be made to keep people alert and aware

of child abuse signs (Wienclaw, 2013). Every state has some form of child abuse prevention and

laws for reporting child abuse (Child Abuse and Neglect, 2017). However, it is up to the people

to spot and report abuse. We all have a legal responsibility to prevent and stop abuse and neglect.

Works Cited

Child Abuse and Neglect. (2017). Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia, 1p. 1., from

http://eds.b.ebscohost.com/eds/detail/detail?vid=1&sid=4795afbc-b4e5-45c4-81fa-

ead0e9fd7598%40pdc-v-
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sessmgr01&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3d#AN=CH120100&db=funk

Primavera, J., & Jackson, S. A. (2013). Child abuse. Salem Press Encyclopedia Of Health, from

http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/eds/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=676f88c4-701c-4ff6-95ca-

7fe7b25d7af4%40sessionmgr4010&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3d#AN=93871829&d

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Wienclaw, R. A. (2013). Child Abuse and Neglect. Research Starters: Sociology (Online

Edition), from http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/eds/detail/detail?vid=1&sid=ace15f8f-dcfc-452d-a648-

25053ba34fc4%40sessionmgr4008&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3d#AN=89185463&d

b=ers

Child abuse. (2015, October 07). Retrieved January 29, 2018, from

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/child-abuse/symptoms-causes/syc-20370864