Apr 10 2008
Are you a busy parent? Do you Neglect your children?
Neglect is a more passive but no less devastating form of abuse. Nearly half of all child-abuse deaths result from neglect. Caring for infants and children is a time- consuming and labor-intensive responsibility, and some parents (or other caregivers) are unable or unwilling to put forth the effort necessary to carry out this task. In neglect’s most severe forms, a child’s most basic needs for food, clothing, shelter, and nurturing are not met, resulting in a syndrome known to health-care workers as failure to thrive. Infants and children living in such circumstances exhibit diminished subcutaneous fat, poor growth, and inadequate weight gain. While any child could suffer neglect, children are at greatest risk if born to mothers with a history of substance abuse or to those living in situations where parents or other caregivers are overwhelmed by chaotic lifestyles, intense emotional turmoil, and scarce resources. If the neglected child’s plight is not discovered so that corrective action can be taken, delays in growth and development—physical, psychological, and spiritual—can have significant long-term repercussions.
Other forms of neglect are no less significant. A child who lives in an unsanitary environment, who is infrequently bathed, or who rarely receives medical care will be at risk for a variety of infections. Lack of adequate supervision, especially for toddlers, puts children in harm’s way for injuries related to accidents, contact with hazardous materials, and even trauma inflicted by other children. Indifference to a child’s education, while not immediately life-threatening, can seriously hinder his future quality of life.
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