GCU Being Abused in The Age Group of 3 5 Years Discussion Response – Description
reply a discussion:
Charles
Although childhood is made up of four distinct age groups, each one is distinctively different as well as the needs of the child involved (Falkner, 2018). In order to effectively care for children, you must be aware of the different stages of development and effectively utilize this knowledge while assessing and caring for the child. According to Falkner (2018) “the CDC defines child abuse as “any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or other caregiver (e.g., clergy, coach, teacher) that results in harm, potential for harm, or threat of harm to a child” (CDC, 2017a, para 1).” According to the World Health Organization (2020) the “highest rates of fatal child abuse are found among children aged 0-4 years. The most common cause of death is head injury, followed by abdominal injuries and intentional suffocation.”
Abuse commonly seen for the preschool (3-5) age group is abdominal trauma (Gonzalez, 2020) or physical abuse in general. In addition, abdominal trauma is noted to be the second most common cause of death from physical abuse according to Gonzalez (2020). Although sexual abuse can occur within this age group it is primarily prevalent in those who have already hit puberty, and predominately in girls versus boys according to the World Health Organization (2020). Some warning signs that abuse is present would be behavior changes. Those who are abused in this age group often respond to peers and adults with aggression and anger. In addition, developmental delays are often seen in the presence of abuse. It is unclear to why these delays occur. The Encyclopedia of Childrens Health (2020) suggests these delays may be due to neurological damage or inadequate stimulation and uncertainty in their learning environment and the absence of positive interactions with their parents. Furthermore, these delays might cause further frustration with parents and ultimately cause even further abuse. Therefore, it is very important to recognize, and report abuse promptly. Within your nurses’ assessment some physical and emotional assessment findings you may see that indicate abuse are vast. Often with physical abuse, especially if ongoing, the child will present with bruising in various stages of healing. Bruising is often noted to the truncal region of the body that is primarily always covered with clothing to hide the evidence of abuse. This can also be noted to broken bones. Although there may not be various bones broken at the same time, there is often x-ray evidence of healed areas that can be noted.
Emotionally, the inability to communicate could indicate emotional abuse that was caused by denial of communication or seclusion, unhealthy living conditions, or denial of the right to family life. Regression on behavior is also often identified in cases of emotional abuse. For example, children who are already potty-trained regressing back into urinating and having bowel movements in bed or in their clothing. Lastly, aggression is noted in those who have been abused regardless of the type of abuse.
There are various cultural practices used that could be misunderstood and misidentified as child abuse. According to Killion (2017) Coining is an ancient Vietnamese healing practice that mimics dermabrasion therapy where intense rubbing of the skin is utilized. This can cause redness, bruising, and blisters that may be seen as abuse. Cupping is another cultural practice carried out in the middle east, Asia, and Latin America. This practice is believed to remove harmful toxins from the body but often leaves round shaped bruising to the area, thus being misinterpreted as abuse. Although there are multiple examples not listed here that could be discussed I’m lastly going to discuss Moxibustion, which is often used within the Asian practice. Burning rolled pieces of Moxa Herb is applied to the skin directly often resulting in burns to the skin. I listed this because it came as a surprise to me that this is used in some cultures as I would have initially seen this as abuse.
I live in the State of Kentucky. In Kentucky, the reporting mechanism for suspected child abuse is outlined in the state’s laws and regulations. The primary reporting mechanism is the Child Protection Hotline, which is operated by the Department for Community Based Services (DCBS) within the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services.
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