Jfcblog’s Blog

The number of abusive head traumas among infants and young children appears to have risen dramatically across the United States since the onset of the current recession in 2007, new research reveals.  Abusive head trauma (previously known as “shaken baby syndrome”) is the leading cause of death due to child abuse if you don’t count neglect.   Now we know that poverty and stress are clearly related to child abuse. During times of economic hardship one of the things that’s hardest hit are the social services that are most needed to prevent child abuse. So, this is really worrisome. The study did not find a direct link to unemployment, although most of the patients brought to the E.R. were on medicaid.  According to the researchers, the more likely association is with state and federal social services cuts and psychological stresses propelled by tough times.  Abusive head trauma is one of the most observable indicators of child abuse, because they result from the most extreme domestic violence that requires hospitalization. But there are many, many, many more child abuse cases that we wouldn’t expect to show up as traumatic brain injuries in the ER. So an increase seen in head trauma is probably indicative of an even larger problem. And that means that this finding should really be a major public concern. 

- Rachel P. Berger, M.D., M.P.H., assistant professor, pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and attending physician, Children’s Hospital ofPittsburgh; Jay G. Silverman, Ph.D., associate professor, society and humandevelopment and health, and director, Violence Against Women Prevention Research, Harvard University School of Public Health, Boston; May 1, 2010, presentation, Pediatric Academic Societies’ annual meeting, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

The vast majority of women in state and federal prisons (79%) reported physical abuse and over 60% reported past sexual abuse.  Women in prison are three to four times more likely than male prisoners to have experienced abuse, whether as a child or adult.

www.aclu.org/womensrights/violence.html

A history of maltreatment dramatically increases risks for HIV behavior (IV drugs and promiscuity)

-Advocates for Youth:Child Sexual Abuse II:A Risk Factor HIV/STDs and Teen Pregnancy

70% of women living on the streets or in shelters report abuse in childhood. Over 70% of girls on the streets have run away to flee violence in their homes.

www.theannainstitute.org

Long-term studies have found that young victims of child abuse (Birth to 18) are at higher risk for health diseases if unaddressed or untreated in adulthood.  Also, if a child has experienced trauma in a household environment such as witnessing domestic violence, if a parent is a drug/alcohol abuser, has a disturbed or suicidal household member, or neglected then he/she is at risk also of having a difficult adulthood.  Often times the adult has: depression, anxiety disorders, disrupted neuro-development, difficulty controlling anger, panic reactions, sleep problems, flashbacks, and hallucinations.  The health risk behaviors are: smoking, obesity, suicide attempts, alcohol/drug abuse, self-injury, multiple sex partners.  The long-term consequences of unaddressed trauma is heart disease, cancer, chronic lung disease, asthma, liver disease, skeletal fractures, poor self rated health, STDs, and HIV/AIDS.  The social problems include: homelessness, prostitution, delinquency, violence, inability to sustain employment, re-victimization, rape, negative relationships to others to name a few. (1)  So what is a possible solution? One solution is the earlier the abuse or trauma is diagnosed and addressed by a trained psychologist the better.  If the health, social, and behavioral effects are currently happening, then a psychologist must address the possibility that trauma and child abuse are the root cause and take appropriate measures to work through them and heal the adult.

(1) www.theannainstitute.org

Foster care is costly socially as well as fiscally. Children in foster care often have behavioral and emotional troubles that lead to expensive social problems such as dropping out of school, teen pregnancy, homelessness, unemployment, criminal activity, incarceration, and welfare dependency. (1)

(1) The Costs of Child Abuse and Neglect, Prevent Child Abuse New York, Jan. 2003

As many as two-thirds of all people in treatment for drug abuse report that they were physically, sexually, or emotionally abused during childhood, research shows. It seems that a lot of victims of child abuse turn to alcohol or drug abuse to numb the pain or to cope with their trauma. Some become more vulnerable to use and addiction because their abuser forces them to use it. (1)

(1) Neil Swan, Exploring the Role of Child Abuse in Later Drug Abuse, NIDA, Child Abuse and Drug Use. Volume 13, Number 2, July 1998

Child abuse and neglect has been identified as a public health crisis by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of  Health and Human Services.  Abused children are at an increased risk of serious problems as adults.  Stress, trauma and persistent fear at an early age can change the biology of the brain and cause children who do not get appropriate treatment to have lifelong mental, psychological and social problems including poor initiative in school, language and developmental delays, disproportionate amount of incompetence and failure, and inappropriate behavior in peer and adult relationships. 

- TexProtects, The Texas Association for the Protection of Children

The cost for a year of public education in Texas is $7,246 per pupil. The cost of incarcerating a child in the Texas Youth Commission is $67,890 a year per child. (1)

(1) Children’s Defense Fund Texas

Did you know that children make up the largest population of homeless persons and are usually the victims of child abuse and neglect?  They often choose robbery and prostitution as a means of survival.  When found they need treatment in medical and mental health problems costing the public a great deal. They contract sexually transmitted diseases, abuse drugs, become depressed, girls become pregnant needing public assistance to name a few.  In fact studies have found that nearly 1/2 of women on public assistance were abused as children (1).  Studies have concluded that being abused as a child increases one’s chances of being unemployed and relying on public assistance later in life. We can do something before this occurs.

(1) The Costs of Child Abuse and Neglect, Prevent Child Abuse New York, Jan, 2003