RaTia Blackmon

Ms. Porter
AP Language Arts
14 April 2014
"Child Maltreatment: Consequences." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, 14 Jan. 2014. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.

Some children die from abuse and neglect when it is not reported to the authorities. If an infant
experiences maltreat they may develop an impaired cognitive or mental health problems. Children
could also experience fatal head trauma and could become blind or paralyzed. A study was conducted
that acknowledged young adults who met the diagnostic criteria for at least one psychiatric disorder
by the age of 21. It is often said that they turn into smokers, alcoholics, and drug addicts. They are more
likely to become delinquents and have low academic scores. Some of them turn to crime and become
teen parents.
Children are affected mentally, physically, and behaviorally by maltreatment. It is often said that
children who are abused suffer from the consequences that come with it well into their adulthood. This
is sometimes because they cant forget what they went through. According to Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, children experience improper brain development, blindness, anxiety, and
many more symptoms. It is said that about 14% of children suffer abuse.
"10 Signs of Child Abuse & Neglect." Safe Horizon. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2014.
People can help prevent child abuse by recognizing the signs that come along with it. One
sign is injuries that the child cannot explain themselves. Another one would be changes in
behavior, so they could become aggressive, scared, or even detached from what is going on
around them. A child could try to avoid going home by staying out late at night or going to a
friends house. They could even become less involved in school, which means that their grades
would drop tremendously. There are many signs that could lead a person to the conclusion of a
child being abused.
Many people assume that children can speak up for themselves and tell an adult, but
sometimes that is not the case. A child could be afraid to tell someone because they may not
know what to expect. Ive always believed that it is an adults duty to help children and watch
them. They are responsible for making sure that children are headed down the right path.
Recognizing the signs of abuse is one step closer to not only helping a child, but also saving their
life.
"Child Abuse & Neglect." Recognizing, Preventing and Reporting Child Abuse. N.p., Jan.

2014. Web. 12 Apr. 2014.


Child abuse and neglect leave everlasting scars when the child does not get the help that
is needed in time. They develop a lack of trust and relationship difficulties, and they generate
feelings about being worthless and not having a purpose in life. There is emotional, neglect, and
physical types of abuse just to name a few. Sexual abuse doesnt always involve physical contact
because the child can be exposed to sexual situations that arent associated with touching. Not
only are girls sexually abused, but boys as well and they are sometimes too ashamed to admit it.
Children can become withdrawn, always on alert, always late or missing school, and tries to
runaway from home. There are many factors that lead to abuse and neglect such as a parent that
is an alcoholic or a parent that doesnt give as much support that is needed in a childs life.

It is often said that people who abuse children are bad or that children become abusers
when they grow up. As a child, I always believed that those two assumptions were very true until
I did my research. Abusers usually have mental illnesses or abuse substances such as drug. So,
they dont always know what they are doing. By acknowledging the effects of child abuse, the
different types of child abuse, and many other factors, people are able to understand how serious
child abuse is. Its nothing to take lightly because children could become scarred for life when
the abuse they are going through could be prevented or stopped.

What Is Child Abuse and Neglect? Recognizing the Signs and Symptoms. DC: Children's
Bureau, 2013. PDF.
Children show signs of abuse by being more withdrawn and by having problems with their
concentration because they are on such a high alert. They also avoid staying home and do not receive the
medical attention that is needed when they are injured. Their parent sees them as bad, pretend that they
are not around, and dont have much concern for their child. The signs of physical abuse are unexplained
injuries, is afraid of adults, and many more. You can tell when a child is being neglected by the number of
absences they have from school and begs for or steals things. Signs of sexual abuse are when they have
problems sitting or walking, become pregnant, or refuses to participate in physical activities.
Childrens Bureau mentioned many different ways that a person could point out abuse.
Recognizing the signs of abuse is important because a childs life could be saved or even helped. It is a
well-known fact that some children die if nothing is done in time. There are cases where child abuse is not
reported just because people dont always know whats going on in that childs life; adults need to be
more active in childrens lives. They need someone they can depend on if they are ever in trouble.

"NINDS Shaken Baby Syndrome Information Page." Shaken Baby Syndrome Information
Page: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). Health and Human
Services, n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014.
In this article the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke offered information
about the Shaken Baby Syndrome. This is a traumatic brain injury that occurs when an infant shaken
violently. It is said that the baby has weak neck muscles and that their brain bounces back and forth when
they are shaken. This could lead brain damage or even death. In order to treat this problem doctors put the
child on respiratory support and conducted surgery in order to stop the internal bleeding. Most infants
who survive have mental problems are become blind.
In other words, shaking an infant can cause severe damage to their health and would require a lot
of medical attention. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes perspective on the
Shaken Baby Syndrome is extremely useful because it sheds light on how fragile infants are. Adults
sometimes forget that they should not handle their newborns as rough as they do. Their bodies and their
minds are developing, which means that anything, such as shaking, could delay that childs development.
Adults, especially those who are new to caring for newborns, need to learn how they should handle them.

Finkelhor, David, and Richard Ormrod. Crimes Against Children by Babysitters. U.S.
Department Of Justice, n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014.
Lately, many Americans have been hesitant to hire babysitters that are not a part of their family.
Richard Ormrod and David Finkelhor claim that this feeling has been around since a nearly universal
social phenomenon in the post-World War II childrearing environment. They also believe it is because of
cases like Louise Woodward, where she was convicted of the murder of an 8 month old boy. The U.S.
Department of Justice now has enough information on babysitters in order to put them in a category of
offenders. According to the National Incident-Based Reporting System, sex crimes outnumber physical
assaults nearly two to one. Children around the ages of one through three are at a higher risk of being
physically abused than others.
When I was a child, I used to think that having a babysitter that is part of the family was good and
I still think that. No one wants to put their child in the hands of a complete stranger. There is no way of
telling if that person will hurt your child or not even if you have their background information. Whenever
someone puts their child into the care of a stranger, its like they are putting their childs life at risk. I
agree with Ormrod and Finklehor when they suggest that cases such as Louise Woodward are one of the
main reasons why many people dont hire babysitters because if I were a parent I wouldnt want to put
my child in the hands of a complete stranger.
"A Coordinated Response to Child Abuse and Neglect: The Foundation for Practice." Chapter
Five: What Factors Contribute to Child Abuse and Neglect? Child Welfare Information
Gateway, 2003. Web. 19 Apr. 2014.
In this article, A Coordinated Response to Child Abuse and Neglect: The Foundation for
Practice, it is believed that the factors that contribute to child abuse are parent or caregiver
factors, family factors, child factors, and environmental factors. Parent or caregiver factors
involve personality characteristics and psychological well-being, history of maltreatment,
substance abuse, attitudes and knowledge, and age. The guardian could have low self-esteem, a
history of abuse when they were a child, may abuse substances such as drugs, or has a negative
attitude about their child. Family factors involve marital conflict, domestic violence, single
parenthood, unemployment, financial stress, and social isolation. A childs age and disability
can put them at a higher risk of abuse. Children who are young are at a higher risk experiencing
maltreatment than teenagers. A couple of environmental factors would be a violent community,
poverty, and social isolation and support.
Their perspective on child abuse is extremely useful because it sheds light on the factors
that contribute to child abuse. By knowing what factors contribute to this, people would be better
able to understand why children act the way they do and why their caregiver abuses them. I
believe it is important to know these factors and understand them because its a step closer to
figuring out ways that would prevent child abuse. People could come together as a community
and think of ways to make a childs environment as safe as possible.
"Child Neglect." Chronic Understanding the Definition and Impact of Neglect. American
Humane Association, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014.
Neglect is defined as the failure of a guardian or caregiver to give the proper attention
and care that is needed for the child. The four different types of neglect are physical, emotional,
medical, and educational. Physical neglect is the most common use of abuse and it is when the
parent does not give the child the basic necessities that they need such as food and a roof over
their head. Emotional neglect would be ignoring the child, verbally harassing the child, and
corrupting the child by allowing them to use drugs. Medical neglect is when the guardian does
not give the child the medical attention that is needed.
Ive always believed that a child needs all the attention that they could get. According to
American Humane Association, Physical neglect generally involves the parent or caregiver not
providing the child with basic necessities. It is required by law that parents give their children
what is needed to keep them healthy. Parents who do not do this simple job are not fit to watch
over a child. They are putting the childs life in danger and should be held responsible for not
taking care of their child.
"Effects of Child Abuse and Neglect." Joyful Heart Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Apr. 2014.

Joyful Heart Foundation provides a list of the effects that abuse generates in a child.
Some children that are abused have developmental and psychological problems. It is said that a
persons brain develops based on their experiences during their childhood. So, a child that is
exposed to stressful events experiences an affect in the brains response to it. Children usually
experience anxiety, flashbacks, or depression. Children who are physically abuse display signs
such as bruises, fractures, or poor hygiene. They usually develop eating disorders, hurt
themselves, or turn to drugs. Those who witness domestic violence are put at a high risk for
behavioral or emotional problems.
I feel as if children should reach out for help when their life is put into harms way. There
are many different effects that abuse can leave on a child depending on how severe or dramatic it
is. According to Joyful Heart Foundation, Every child has a right to a safe childhood and a life
free from violence, and I agree. A child that grows up in a violent household is a child that
would have a rough adulthood and could also become violent themselves. Joyful Heart
Foundation claims that children can overcome the effects left from abuse by talking to a
professional counselors or supportive interventions. Hopefully this is true and children would
be able to live a normal life without the fear of being harmed.