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Saint Barnabas Medical Center Offers Advice for Protecting Children From Abuse: What to Look For Livingston, N.J. -- Normal, active children can get bruises and cuts from playing outside, but certain signs may indicate a child is being abused. The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) reports that annually more than 900,000 children are victims of child abuse and neglect, although most experts believe the figures are greater because incidents often go unreported. "Child abuse and neglect affect children of all ages, races, and incomes," says James McEnrue, M.D., attending physician in emergency medicine and Director of the Emergency Department at Saint Barnabas Medical Center. “It can involve situations resulting in emotional duress, poor nutrition or denial of medical care in addition to more readily recognized circumstances of sexual or physical abuse. Emergency physician must have a low threshold for suspicion and tend to at least consider the possibility of abuse even when things appear routine. If abuse is not thought of as a possibility, then the recognition and intervention which may be crucial might not occur and the adverse circumstances for the child can intensify. Protection for the child must be the primary objective by recognizing the presenting complaints as resulting from abuse.” Child abuse can have a devastating affect on children. The Emergency Department at Saint Barnabas Medical Center and ACEP urge all adults to learn how to recognize and protect children from abuse. Signs that may indicate abuse include: · Unexplained or repeated injuries, such as bruises, welts, cuts or broken bones. Injuries in various stages of healing, which appear in a pattern or are grouped together. · Burns that suggest the child may have been scalded, or small circular burns, which may have been inflicted by a cigarette. Burns that show the pattern of the object used to cause injury, or friction burns, which might indicate the child was tied. · Pale, emaciated or sunken cheeks. · Extreme weight loss. · Prolonged vomiting or diarrhea. · Unexplained difficulty in walking, sitting, or performing daily tasks due to soreness. · Reports of inflicted injuries. The ACEP reports a variety of behaviors that may also signal child abuse. These include: · Continual depressed angry or anxious behavior. · Extremely aggressive or disruptive behavior. · Crying a great deal, or being fearful of going home. · Shrinking away when an adult approaches. · Overly compliant behavior. · Extremely withdrawn, complacent or uncommunicative behavior. · Poor school attendance and developmental delays. Certain professionals, including emergency physicians, have a legal obligation to report suspicion of child abuse. If you suspect child abuse, you also need to report it. Call the police or your local child welfare agency. If you do not know the number, call the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-CHILD. For a directory of Saint Barnabas Medical Center Services and Medical Staff, please call (973) 322-9900. Date: October, 2003 [ top ] |
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