CHILD PHYSICAL ABUSE AND NEGLECT

Course overview

APPROXIMATELY ONE IN FOUR CHILDREN EXPERIENCE CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT IN THEIR LIFETIME. OF MALTREATED CHILDREN, 18 PERCENT ARE ABUSED PHYSICALLY, 78 PERCENT ARE NEGLECTED, AND 9 PERCENT ARE ABUSED SEXUALLY. THE FATALITY RATE FOR CHILD MALTREATMENT IS 2.2 PER 1000 CHILDREN ANNUALLY, MAKING HOMICIDE THE SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN CHILDREN YOUNGER THAN AGE ONE. EXPOSURE TO VIOLENCE DURING CHILDHOOD CAN HAVE LIFELONG HEALTH CONSEQUENCES, INCLUDING POOR PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, AND MENTAL HEALTH. PREVENTION, DIAGNOSIS, AND TREATMENT OF PHYSICAL CHILD ABUSE IS KEY TO THE MITIGATION OF ADVERSE HEALTH OUTCOMES. THIS ACTIVITY EXAMINES WHEN CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ON DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS AND THE STEPS THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN TO HELP AFFECTED CHILDREN. THIS ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN CARING FOR THESE CHILDREN THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED ABUSE AND NEGLECT.