CHILD ABUSE - BEING AWARE OF THE PROBLEM

    All children may be at risk due to their immaturity and developing abilities. They might be vulnerable to danger, injury, assault, and abuse. Children may be susceptible to harmful influences and "at risk" behavior due to many circumstances and/or reasons. Child abuse is defined as any intentional harm or mistreatment of a child under the age of 18. Numerous manifestations of child abuse might take place at once.

• Physical abuse - Physical child abuse is when a child is intentionally hurt physically or placed in danger by another person.


• Emotional abuse- Abusing a child's emotional health or self-esteem is referred to as emotional abuse. It also includes isolating, dismissing, or rejecting a child in addition to verbal and emotional abuse, such as persistently insulting or berating a child.


• Medical abuse- When someone offers a child incorrect information about a condition that needs medical attention, placing the child at danger for harm and requiring needless medical care, this is known as medical child abuse.


• Neglect- A child is neglected when they are not given enough food, clothing, shelter, affection, supervision, education, or dental or medical care.

SYMPTOMS

    An abused child could experience guilt, shame, or confusion. If the abuser is a parent, another relative, or a close family friend, the child can be reluctant to report the abuse to anybody. The specific signs and symptoms differ depending on the type of misuse.

Physical abuse signs and symptoms

• Uncared wounds, such as burns, fractures, or bruising
• Injuries that don't match the given description
• Injuries that conflict with a child's capacity for development

Neglect signs and symptoms

• Bad growth
• Untreated medical difficulties brought on by being overweight, together with a lack of personal hygiene
• Not having enough clothes or supplies to meet basic necessities
• Stealing or hoarding food
• A poor history of attendance at school
• Lack of necessary follow-up care or improper attention given to medical, dental, or psychological issues

Emotional abuse signs and symptoms

• Incorrect or sluggish emotional growth
• Loss of self-belief or respect for oneself
• Social withdrawal or a loss of drive or interest
• Depression
• Avoiding certain scenarios, such missing the bus or school
• Seems to be in need of affection
• A decline in academic performance or a loss of enthusiasm for learning
• Loss of developmental abilities already acquired

Parental behavior

There are situations when a parent's attitude or behaviour raises suspicions of child abuse. One of the red flags is a parent who:

• Employs strenuous physical punishment
• Demands an excessive standard of athletic or academic performance
• Severely restricts the kid's interaction with other people
• Provides no explanation, a contradicting explanation, or an unsatisfactory explanation for a child's injuries.
• Repeatedly takes the child to the doctor for examinations or seeks testing, such as X-rays and lab work, for issues that weren't seen during the doctor's examination

PREVENTION

    You can take significant measures to safeguard your child against exploitation and child abuse, as well as to stop it in your community or neighbourhood. The objective is to give kids relationships that are secure, dependable, and caring.

Here are some suggestions for keeping kids safe:

• Offer your child love and attention: To foster trust and effective communication, show your child love and care by giving them your undivided time, listening to them, and getting engaged in their lives. Encourage your child to contact you if something seems off. Your child's sense of self-worth and self-esteem can be improved with the help of social networks and a supportive family environment.


• Don't respond in anger: Take a break if you're feeling stressed or out of control. Do not lash out at your child in your rage. To learn how to manage stress and engage with your child more effectively, speak with your doctor or a therapist.


• Think supervision: Never leave a young child unattended at home. When you're out in public, keep a tight eye on your kid. Encourage your child to avoid meeting new people and to spend time with friends rather than alone when they are old enough to leave the house unsupervised. Make it a rule that your child must always let you know where they are.


• Emphasize when to say no: Make sure your child is aware that he or she is not required to engage in any activity that sounds unsettling or frightening. Encourage your child to leave a dangerous or frightening situation straight away and ask for assistance from a responsible adult. Encourage your child to talk to you or another reliable adult if something happens. Assure your child that speaking is appropriate and that they won't be punished for doing so.


• Teach your children to use the internet safely: Instead of the child's bedroom, place the computer in a communal area of the house. To restrict the kind of websites your child is permitted to access, use the parental controls. Verify your child's social networking site privacy settings.


• Reach out: Get to know the local families, especially the parents and kids. Establish a network of loving family and friends. Offer to watch the kids or provide other assistance if a friend or neighbor looks to be having trouble. To find a safe outlet for your frustrations, think about attending a parent support group.

COMPLICATIONS

    Some children are able to recover from the physical and psychological effects of child abuse, especially those who have strong social supports and resilience skills that allow them to adapt and cope with unpleasant occurrences. However, for many other people, child abuse can lead to long-term physical, behavioural, emotional, or mental health problems.

Here are some illustrations.

Physical issues

• Unexpected death
• Physical constraints
• Having trouble learning
• Abusing drugs
• Health issues

Emotional issues

• A low sense of self-esteem
• Having trouble forming or keeping relationships
• Issues with closeness and trust
• A negative perspective on parenting
• Inability to handle frustration and stress
• Acknowledgement that violence is a regular feature of relationships

Behavioral issues

• Violent or illegal behavior
• Assault against others
• Withdrawal
• Attempts at suicide or self-harm
• Weak interpersonal and social abilities

Mental health disorders

• Disorders of eating
• Psychological problems
• Behavioral issues
• Depression
• Anxiety conditions
• Trauma-related stress disorder (PTSD)
• The inability to fall asleep and nightmares
• Attachment disorders

WHEN TO COMPLAIN?

    Seek assistance right away if you have any reason to believe that your child or another child has been abused. If the child requires emergency medical care, use 911 or the appropriate local emergency number.

HOW WE HELP YOU?

    We provide extensive psychotherapy services to support children. For this target population to recover from the trauma of their past lives and build respectable, meaningful lives, it is crucial to provide proper care and support. Children can access traditional and alternative therapy services both online and offline. With the intention of resolving the psychological, social, and physical repercussions of the abuse, it consists of both individual treatment and group sessions. Our firm provides offline services, and everyone in the world can use our online services.

    Our firm conducts combined sessions with the kid and family members as well as psychoeducational sessions. The process of counselling enables family members to comprehend the problem of child abuse, feel sympathy for the child, and react to the child in a constructive way. Call us at to learn more about our services or to schedule an appointment for counselling (+1 315 750 4197).