Understanding Child Abuse and Neglect

     Child Abuse and Neglect
 
There was a TV special showing child abuse stories. It was all about the horrible things people have survived as children. It also had some stories about kids that did not survive. I found it very difficult to watch. Yet I know that people need to understand that child abuse stories are real, not urban myths. There are so many children on the streets to escape the abuse from home. People assume that they are just bad kids who did not want to live with the rules at home. More often they ran away and stayed away because what is on the street is not worse then what is waiting for them at home. That says a lot about what horrible things go on unseen. I can tell a few child abuse stories of my own. I am a survivor. My stepfather used to hold my head underwater until I blacked out. It started when I was four. It ended in sexual abuse and an attempt to kill me when I was 12. I say that I survived but have never really lived.
I have continued to try and educate myself about child abuse and neglect over the years and found the internet to be a wealth of information.  This information has helped me heal.

 

 

Are Obese Children Victims Of Child Abuse And Neglect?

Child abuse photographs generally show pictures of children who appear to be bruised, bloody, frightened and neglected. We don’t usually consider that something like this could be considered one of the many child abuse photographs:



Perhaps you do not think that allowing a child to consistently overeat until he or she becomes significantly overweight actually constitutes child abuse and neglect. After all one could argue that those parents who indulge their child’s desire for sugary or fatty snacks give in only because they love them. Well I don’t think that the parents of significantly overweight children are guilty of deliberate child abuse and neglect, but they definitely aren’t doing their children any favors when they allow them to eat exactly what they want whenever they fancy it.
To allow a child to become as overweight as the boy pictured above is to doom them to a short unhealthy life. Childhood obesity leads to potentially fatal diseases like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular problems such as atherosclerosis that can lead to an early heart attack or stroke. Therefore if your child is significantly overweight you need to help them amend their diet and lifestyle in order to get rid of those extra pounds.

Different Types of Child Abuse Not Recognized by Authorities

I believe that there are many types of child abuse that are going unnoticed by the authorities.  You may not agree with me, but I say that one of the most common types of child abuse that is allowed to go on is the fact that many parents smoke around their children. 

A child cannot tell a parent not to smoke; if they did it wouldn't matter anyway.  Think of the damage being done to this child's lungs and they can do nothing about it!  How can a parent smoke in an enclosed area and not feel guilty for possibly causing damage to their child?  That's just plain selfish in my eyes! 

I also believe that screaming at your children is another one of the types of child abuse that go unchecked.  What kind of future mental damage can result from being a victim of this type of child abuse and neglect?

Many people may disagree with me on the subject, but I still feel that these are just some of the types of child abuse that I feel should be looked at and moved upon by the child abuse enforcement agencies. 

What Constitutes Child Abuse And Neglect?

I was reading through some of the blog posts on this site and I agree with the statements made by one blogger concerning the fact that child abuse and neglect can start before the baby is even born. I personally know a recovering drug addict and alcoholic. She took pain killers, drank alcohol and smoked marijuana while she was expecting her son. Her son was diagnosed with autism at the age of three and he struggles to live a normal life. There is scientific evidence to suggest that there is a link between alcohol abuse during pregnancy and autism. Fortunately the woman in question no longer drinks alcohol or abuses any kind of drug. She has stepped up to the plate and is doing all she can to help her son. Yet she still has to live with the knowledge that she may have caused her son’s autism.
Perhaps you think of alcoholism and drug addiction as a disease. However, the way I see it consuming alcohol and taking drugs while you are pregnant does constitute child abuse and neglect. It should therefore be categorized as one of the types of child abuse. The sad fact is that what I have just told you is just one of thousands of similar child abuse stories. Women who abuse their unborn fetus by introducing alcohol and drugs into its bloodstream should be held accountable for their actions.

Child Abuse and Neglect Can Begin Before Birth

Generally when people talk about child abuse and neglect, you think about a child who is starved or beaten, but this isn't always the case in child abuse or neglect cases.  Most people don't even think about it, but child abuse and neglect can begin when this child is supposed to be safe within the mother's womb.

Where is the CPA when a mother is drinking, smoking or doing drugs like cocaine, meth or acid?  I would call this child abuse and neglect in its earliest stages.  These actions can cause serious effects on an unborn child.  Why isn't someone there to catch this type of child abuse and neglect?  I think the CPA should monitor a pregnant women's behavior? When you think about it, if a woman is going to treat their unborn child like this before the child is even born, you can bet that she will not take good care of this child when it enters this world!

Think about how many times you see a child who looks pale and gaunt, maybe their hair is not brushed or teeth appear to not be taken care of, this could be a sign of child abuse and neglect.  You man not think so, but if this is what you do see, think about what happens to this child that you don't see!

The following video is about such a victim of child abuse and neglect.  I hope that it will help to make you aware of how child abuse and neglect begins and how tragically it can end!