Child abuse.

Knowledge of child abuse is limited, with little agreement, among professionals concerning definition, incidence, and causes. Approaches to treatment have met with limited success, and proposed prevention strategies prove impractical due to such factors as the invasion of family privacy and negative effects of labeling deviant or potentially deviant behavior. Prevention efforts are reviewed, and it is suggested that the best preventive strategy is the development of a coherent policy in support of all children and their families. Child abuse is embedded in families, institutions, and society as a whole: Efforts to eliminate it must be directed at all 3 components. (27 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Child abuse and neglect investigative process

To clarify the role of postoperative radiotherapy for adenoid cystic carcinoma of the tracheobronchial system (ACC), we analyzed patients treated at the National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo. Seven patients with ACC were treated with resective surgery and postoperative radiotherapy from 1962-1990. None of the primary lesions was completely surgically resected. Postoperative irradiation was delivered by standard fractionation at a dose range of 49.2-72 Gy. Four of seven patients lived more than 5 years, up to 21 years, without local recurrence. In contrast, three other patients who showed recurrence within 2 years died of disease before 5 years. Three of four patients who received postoperative irradiation of 60 Gy or more attained local control. One of three patients who received less than 60 Gy failed locally. A high dose of postoperative radiotherapy for patients with a positive surgical margin of ACC seems to improve local control and result in long-term survival.     

Child abuse: a community problem

Physicians who treat musculoskeletal and neurologic disorders often treat patients who have paresthesias or weakness of a single extremity. Although the diagnosis is often straightforward, cases that are atypical in nature may pose a diagnostic dilemma. This report describes the case of a middle-aged man with symptoms indicative of, though not classic for, a cervical radiculopathy. An extensive investigation was unremarkable and only the eventual rapid progression of symptoms led to the diagnosis of a glioblastoma multiforme. Although this is a deadly form of brain cancer, early recognition provides the best chance for a prolonged and greater quality of life.     

Child abuse: assessment and intervention

The National Statistics on Child Abuse and Neglect are staggering and rising despite a national objective to decrease domestic violence, of which child abuse is a part. More than 3 million children are abused each year. That figure represents 25 out of every 1,000 children being physically, sexually, or emotionally abused or neglected by their caretakers. It is important to note that 50% of abused children have an abused mother (American Medical Association, 1992). There are immediate as well as long-term sequelae of abuse including emotional and developmental problems, permanent injury, death, and perpetuation of abuse to the next generation. Since fractures are often part of the constellation of injuries seen in the abused child, orthopaedic nurses may encounter these children in a range of settings. Recognizing the signs of abuse is an important step for intervention on behalf of the child.     

Child sexual abuse evaluations: the scientist-practitioner model

This review presents published data on various aspects of gap junction functioning during development. The process of formation of these junctions and their structure, along with relationships between molecular characteristics of connexins and properties of gap junctions channels are considered in detail. Some newly discovered functions of gap junctions in early embryonic development, their participation in the formation of various cellular compartments and in coordinated behavior are discussed; their relationship with other types of cell interactions is also reviewed. Promising problems for further research are outlined.     

Child abuse and neglect from an indigenous Australian''s perspective

Regardless of the mechanisms of stress resistance, the maintenance of functional integrity in plants imposes an energetic cost. This mini-review summarized the present knowledge on energy metabolism in plants under drought conditions with the focus on studies performed on wheat in author's laboratory.     

Child abuse, self-development, and affect regulation.

Addresses the long-term disturbances in the psychological functioning of abused children from the perspective of self psychology and intersubjectivity theory. From these viewpoints, the symptomatology displayed by abused children is conceptualized as the product of derailments in self-development and impairments in affect regulation, resulting from chronic failures in caregiver attunement to the child's affect. Children who are abused experience a range of affective and dissociative disturbances, including psychic numbing, alexithymia, increased aggression and rage, increased painful affects, and dissociative behavior. Implications for treatment are discussed, and the case of a 3.5 yr old boy suffering from physical and sexual abuse illustrates the points made. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Child abuse: why should I report it?

In Indiana, dental professionals are mandated by law to report suspected child abuse and neglect to Child Protective Services (CPS) or the law enforcement agency in their county. The penalty for non-reporting is fine and/or jail. This article will give dental professionals information on child abuse injuries that can be identified in the dental office, how to talk to the child and family members regarding suspicions, and how to report those suspicions to your local CPS or law enforcement agency. Dental professionals will receive reassurance and encouragement from this article to report suspected cases of child abuse to CPS or law enforcement. The report is not meant to be punitive, but is intended to get the family connected to services to assist them, the child, and any other children they have or may have in the future, to avoid further abuse, and to attempt to break the cycle of abuse. To report suspicions of child abuse in Indiana, dial: 1-800-800-5556.     

Child abuse and dentistry: what you should know

Dentistry must become more aware of its moral, legal and ethical responsibilities in recognizing and reporting child abuse and neglect. All dental professionals must be aware of the seriousness of the problems of child maltreatment, and understand that children do not just get hurt in abuse and neglect, they often die as a direct result of their maltreatment. It has been said that victims of child abuse and neglect fall into only two categories--those who lived through it, and those who did not.     

Child extrafamilial sexual abuse: predicting parent and child functioning

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the emotional and behavioral adjustment of parents and children within 3 months and 1 year after the discovery of child extrafamilial sexual abuse. METHOD: Ninety-two case parents (63 mothers, 29 fathers) and 56 children were compared to a nonclinical comparison group of 136 parents (74 mothers, 62 fathers) and 75 children. Parent adjustment was assessed using self-report measures while child functioning was assessed using a combination of child-, parent- and teacher-report measures. RESULTS: Mothers, fathers and sexually abused children experienced clinically significant effects both initially and at 12 months post-disclosure. Children's perceptions of self-blame and guilt for the abuse and the extent of traumatization predicted their self-reported symtomatology at 3 months and 1 year post-disclosure. Child age and gender also significantly contributed to the prediction of many of the child outcome measures. No abuse-related variable was related to any child self-report measure. Mothers' satisfaction in the parenting role, perceived support and intrusive symptoms predicted their initial emotional functioning. Avoidant symptoms, child's internalizing behavior and mothers' initial emotional functioning were significant predictors of longer-term emotional functioning. CONCLUSIONS: Results emphasize the need to address children's abuse-related attributions and underscore the need to expand our focus beyond the child victims to the traumatized families.     

Child sexual and physical abuse and alcoholism: a review

OBJECTIVE: To examine possible relations between child sexual or physical abuse and adult alcoholism. METHOD: Studies reviewed included prospective studies, retrospective studies on the prevalence of child sexual or physical abuse in alcoholics and nonalcoholics, and retrospective studies in mental health clients and in population samples comparing the prevalence of alcohol use disorders in abused and nonabused subjects. RESULTS: Prospective studies do not indicate a significant association between child sexual or physical abuse and alcoholism. In contrast, studies among alcoholic women do suggest a relationship. Also, a significantly higher prevalence of alcohol problems in abused women than in nonabused women is found in population samples. The results of studies among mental health clients are inconclusive. In addition, several methodological limitations should be taken into consideration when evaluating results of the available studies. CONCLUSIONS: Current evidence is insufficient to draw conclusions about relationships between child sexual or physical abuse and alcoholism among men. Among females, however, there is a higher likelihood of alcohol problems if they were sexually or physically abused as children.