Food, Health and Fitness
Child abuse and neglect
by Molly Williams
Pahrump Valley Home Care
Child abuse is the "intentional non-accidental physical, emo-
tional, or sexual abuse of a child by a parent or other care giver
entrusted with the care of the child" (Freiberg 1987, p. 255).
Abuse includes: (1.) Battering-physical injury (2.) Drug abuse-
intentional administration of harmful drugs, especially during preg-
nancy (3.) Sexual abuse-sexual assault or molestation by a family
member or non-family member (4.) Emotional abuse such as
scapegoating, belittling, humiliating or lack of parenting.
Neglect is the omission of certain appropriate behaviors with
such omission having detrimental physical or psychological effects
on the development of the child.
Neglect includes child abandonment and lack of providing the
child with the basic needs of survival such as food, clothing, shelter,
stimulation, medical care, love, supervision, education, attention,
emotional nurturing and safety.
Most child abuse begins in infancy. More than one million cases
of child abuse or neglect are reported each year. It is estimated that
more than 2,000 children die each year from abuse or neglect.
When physical abuse results in permanent injury or death occurs
the term "battered child syndrome" is used. Fatal battering most
often occurs in children under the age of five years. Sexual abuse
accounts for about 20 percent of all reported child abuse, with 25
percent of sexual abuse being done to preschoolers.
The incidence of reported cases of child abuse has increased
dramatically and is a cause of national concern.
Child abuse or neglect occurs in all ethnic groups and in all levels
of society. It crosses all social and economic boundaries. Certain
factors increase the potential for abusive behavior.
Parents or caregivevs under stress from unemployment, depres-
sion, poor social and marital relationships, substance abuse or health
problems may have a tendency to abuse.
Parents who themselves were abused may abuse.
Children who cry frequently, have sleep difficulties, wet the
bed, or who are hyperactive or aggressive, who have difficult
temperaments, who have physical, emotional or cognitive disabili-
ties are at risk for abuse by their caregivers.
Lack of knowledge about parenting and normal behavior of
children is another factor which leads to abuse.
Incidents of child abuse may develop as a result of disciplinary
action taken by the abuser who responds in uncontrolled anger to
real or perceived misconduct of the child. The parents or caregivers
may confuse punishment with discipline. "Good parenting" may be
equated with physical contact to eradicate undesirable child behav-
ior. The abuser may be a stern, authoritarian disciplinarian.
Incidents of child abuse may develop out of a quarrel between
the caregivers.
The abuser may be under a great deal of stress because of life
circumstances (debt, poverty, illness) and may thus resort to child
abuse.
The abuser may be intoxicated with alcohol and or drugs at the
time of abuse; only 10 percent of abusers have a history of mental
illness.
Child abuse frequently occurs while the parents are away from
the home and the child is left in the care of a baby-sitter or other
CLrgl vet.
The profile of the abusing caregivers includes but is not limited
to the following:
* Low self-esteem, a sense of incompetency, a feeling of
unimportance.
* Unrealistic attitudes and expectations of the child, little regard
for the child's own needs and age-appropriate abilities, a lack of
knowledge relating to patenting skills.
*Fear of rejection. An abuser has a deep need to feel wanted and
loved but experiences a feeling of rejection wben love is not
obvious. A crying child may elicit i feeling of rejection in the
- abuser.
"* The abuser is unhappy related to unsatisfactory relationships
and may look to the child for satisfaction of his/her own emotional
needs.
* Child abusers are often the children of abuse.
* Abusers often have low self-esteem, have difficulty control-
ling aggressive impulses, and often live in social isolation.
Behaviors common in abusing caregivers:
* Anxiously volonteers information or withholds information.
* Shows inappropriate reaction or concern to severity of injury.
* Becomes irritable about questions being asked.
* Seldom touches or speaks to the child or may be overly
soficitous.
* Delays seeking medical help and or refuses to sign permit for
diagnostic studies. Frequently changes hospitals or physicians.
* Will usually show no involvement in care oftha hospitalized
child.
Be aware that not all abusing caregivers exhibit these behaviors.
The abused child is usually under three years ofage.
School-age children and adolescents are also subject to abuse.
The average age of sexual abuse is nine.
General health of the child may indicate abuse or neglect such as
malnutrition, poor hygiene or diaper rash.
The abused child may have fractures scattered over many
different parts of the body. There is usually evidence that injuries
occurred at different times such as healed and new fractures,
resolving and fresh bruises.
The abused child shows no new fractures or bruises during the
child's hospitalizations.
The abused child may show a wide range of reactions. The child
may be anxious, tense or nervous.
For abuse that occurs in school or 4ay cam, the childamy exhibit
fear oftbe teacher, have nightmares, decrease school attendance or
develop psychosomatic illnesses.
Once abuse or neglect is suspected public law 94-247 (child
abuse and neglect act-1973) requires that professionals report sus-
pected abuse.
In the tradition of caring, stay alert, be aware and take care.
Pahrump Valley Gazette, Thursday, November 27, 1997 13
I
i i i
Simple fruit desserts
Surprise your family tonight
with a simple new dessert cre-
ated by Whirlpool Corpora-
tion home economists using
the convenience of a micro-
wave oven. All it takes to make
Peaches 'N Dumplings is a can
of sliced peaches and some
staple baking ingredients. This
recipe, sweet glazed peaches
topped with tender fluffy
dumplings, requires less than
15 minutes total microwave
cooking time. It is easy to pre-
pare and deliciously served
with ice cream or whipped
cream.
PEACHES 'N DUMPLINGS
( six servings)
2 cups sliced peaches (29-ounces can, drained)
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons margarine, softened
1/3 cup milk
I/4 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
1 teaspoon cinnamon-sugar mixture
1. Combine peaches and the 1/4 cup sugar in 1 1/2-
quart round glass casserole. Microwave at HIGH
(100%) for five minutes. Stir.
2. While peaches are heating, stir together flour,
baking powder, salt and remaining sugar. Cut in mar-
garine until crumbly. Add milk and vanilla, mixing
well.
3. Drop dough, using a rounded tablespoonful for
each dumpling, onto hot peaches. Cover loosely and
microwave at HIGH for two minutes. Rotate dish and
microwave at MEDIUM (50%) for seven minutes or until
dumplings are no longer doughy. Sprinkle with cinna-
mon-sugar. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.
Nutrition Information (per serving - calculated
using 2% milk): 175 calories, 3g. protein, 4g fat, ling
cholesterol, 33g carbohydrates, 160rag sodium.
Endocrine disruptors: A false alarm?
In response to one of the biggest health scares of the
1990s, last year federal legislators passed amendments to the
Safe Drinking Water Act and the Food Quality Protection
Act.
The scare: Increased reports worldwide of altered endo-
crine function, such as lowered sperm counts and reproduc-
tive abnormalities caused by chemicals, termed "endocrine
disruptors."
One study that initiated the greatest concern was from
Tulane University in 1996 that suggested a 1,600-fold in-
crease in risk of endocrine disruption when relatively small
amounts of chemicals were combined.
But, as has become true with other alarming reports, this
scare may not be real after all.
In the July 25, 1997 issue of"Science" magazine, Dr. John
A. McLachlan, one of the authors of the Tulane study,
formally withdrew his original paper, stating "any conclu-
sions drawn from this paper must be suspended until such
time, if ever, the data can be substantiated."
In fact, other scientists around the globe have not been able
to dupli.cate the Tulane study.
Dr. Stephen Safe, professor of toxicology at Texas A&M
University commented: "It is clear that the best science now
points to the conclusion that the endocrine effects of environ-
mental chemicals are less harmful than had been suggested."
The scientific investigation continues. The EPA's Endo-
crine Disrupter screening and Testing Advisory Committee
will still develop and implement a screening program for
EPA to submit to Congress by August 1999, and the National
Academy of Sciences' study is scheduled to be released the
end of this year. According to Assistant EPA Administrator,
Lynn Goldman, "The retraction does not eliminate the scien-
tific basis for regulatory concern over endocrine-disrupting
chemicals.
Scientific and regulatory realities are not that simple." It
appears that the endocrine disruptors scare may have just
been the latest example of placing too much emphasis on one
study.
Caffeine in moderation OK during pregnancy
The latest study among many of caffeine and health
indicates beverages containing caffeine can be a safe choice
for pregnant women. In the September 1997 issue of"Epide-
miology," Laura Fenster, Ph.D., and colleagues examine the
relationship between moderate and heavy caffeine consump-
tion (up to 300 mg and over 300 mg) and spontaneous
abortion in 5,342 women interviewed in the first trimester of
pregnancy. The research, which looked at the effects of
consuming both caffeinated beverages and decaffeinated
coffee, considered confounding factors such as alcohol,
smoking and nausea.
Dr. Fenster and her colleagues specifically considered
nausea as a confounding factor in measuring the association
between caffeine and spontaneous abortion. Previous re-
search indicated nausea as a factor for decreased caffeine
consumption during pregnancy, because women who are
nauseated are less likely to consume foods and beverages
which they usually enjoy. The current study did not closely
monitor nausea as a confounding factor, but it was recognized
that nausea may play an important role.
With or without the presence of nausea, Dr. Fenster
concluded that, "neither total estimated nor individual
caffeinated beverage consumption during the first trimester
was associated with an appreciable risk for spontaneous
abortion." An unexpected association between the con-
sumption of three or more cups of decaffeinated coffee and
spontaneous abortion was not completely explained by char-
acteristics of some decaffeinated coffee drinkers, such as
age, alcohol and cigarette usage and race. The authors could
not find a biological reason for the finding. Dr. Fenster
concluded that the aberrant association was most likely due
to bias in the research data.
