Child abuse: Prevention should not be out in the blue

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Michael Fischer
  • 60th Medical Operations Squadron
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Since 1983, Congress has recognized April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month. 
People wear blue ribbons to remember victims of child abuse and recognize the need for prevention and awareness. It is important to recognize child abuse is something that can happen anytime and crosses all ethnic and social boundaries. 

Another hope is that by talking about child abuse, lessons can be learned about its causes and effects, while offering support and encouraging more people to report it when they know a child is being abused. 

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates an average of four children die in the United States each day due to abuse. More than half are under the age of four. In 2006, there were 885,000 reported cases of child maltreatment nationally. 

Of those reported cases, about ten percent were from California. Thousands of reports are made daily but even more ARE unreported due to the secrecy and shame involved in abusive homes. 

Dr. Paul Hauck, a child psychologist at David Grant USAF Medical Center, believes "The most common causes of child abuse are the parents' inability to change the child's behaviors and that usually is the result of a poor fit between the child's particular temperament and the parents' particular discipline style." 

According to Dr. Hauck, family stress and parents' inability to handle it in a healthy manner is considered to be a big contributor to child abuse. Parents found guilty of child maltreatment usually start by using punishment instead of discipline when a child's behavior needs correcting, or they take out frustrations on the child. Things like withholding food and hitting with belts or other objects are often used by parents to control rather than correct their children's behaviors. 

"They (parents) may also not have realistic expectations of a child's behavior for that specific age," Dr. Hauck added. 

There are numerous signs to look for in child abuse. There are unexplained visible injuries, such as bruises, welts or cuts. A child being abused may also have poor hygiene, not be adequately dressed for the weather or may appear malnourished. 

One of the most important things to consider is a sudden change in the child's behavior. 

Changes do not necessarily mean the child is being maltreated, but it could be a clue something is wrong. An important thing to remember is a person does not have to know a child is being maltreated to be concerned or to report it to child-welfare professionals. 

At Travis, the Family Advocacy Program offers a large variety of programs for military families. There are basic parenting classes geared to parents that talk about child development, discipline and making healthy choices. There also are anger management classes and marriage-counseling sessions offered by experienced and credentialed providers. FAP services focus on the prevention of abuse by educating parents and caregivers in a supportive environment. 

"Most of the incidents we see in FAP could be eliminated or reduced by the parents having parenting skills and education early in the child's life," stated Diane Foster, FAP treatment manager. 

Throughout April, FAP will be offering a variety of activities to recognize the need for child abuse-prevention awareness. To access any of these services or to report an incident of child maltreatment, call FAP at 423-5168. To report child maltreatment, you can also call Security Forces at 424-2800, Solano County Child Protection Services at 1-800-544-8696, or if it is an emergency, 911 (424-4911 if on base).