child abuse
Child Abuse Trauma: A Look Into The Effects of Child Maltreatment Child abuse and neglect is a growing problem in America. Each year Child Protective Services receive higher numbers of reports of child abuse. ... Of all the child abuse cases substantiated by Child Protective Services, 52% are neglected, 25% physically abused, 13% sexually abused, 5% emotionally abused and 3% are medically neglected (Psychology Today, 26). Child abuse refers to physical and emotional abuse and neglect, medical and educational neglect and sexual abuse. Children under the age of five are most likely to be targeted in some form of abuse. ... Child Abuse Intervention Research Literature indicates that children of all types of abuse and neglect commonly have problems such as: aggression, depression, limited self-esteem, low social functioning, low cognitive skills and attachment problems. ... In the course of evaluating and treating a range of problems including accidents, ingestions, failure to thrive, and any number of medical conditions, medical and social service personnel may discover evidence of one or more forms of abuse (American Journal of Family Therapy, 1). Physical Abuse Physical abuse generally refers to inflicting injury such as bruises, burns, head injuries, fractures, internal injuries, lacerations or any other form of physical harm. For example: beating a child, burning a child, throwing a child, or shaking a baby or a child. This form of abuse may also include excessive corpal punishment and close confinement such as tying or binding the child and locking him or her in a closet (American Journal of Family Therapy). A rare form of abuse has been recently identified called the Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome in which parents subject children to medications, surgery and other medical procedures for which there is no reason (American Journal of Family Therapy, 112). An example of physical abuse is in a case study done by the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect.