3.) Child Abuse Flashcards
The nurse is teaching parents of preschool-aged children strategies to prevent sexual abuse. What should the nurse include in the teaching session? (Select all that apply.)
a. ) Back up a child’s right to say no.
b. ) Don’t take what your child says too seriously.
c. ) Take a second look at signals of potential danger.
d. ) Don’t be too detailed about examples of sexual assault.
e. ) Remind children that even “nice” people sometimes do mean things.
a.) Back up a child’s right to say no.
c.) Take a second look at signals of potential danger.
e.) Remind children that even “nice” people sometimes do mean things.
To provide protection and preparation from sexual abuse, parents should back up a child’s right to say no, take a second look at signals of potential danger, and remind children that even “nice” people sometimes do mean things. Parents should take what children say seriously and they should give specific definitions and examples of sexual assault.
What statement is correct about young children who report sexual abuse?
a. ) They may exhibit various behavioral manifestations.
b. ) In more than half the cases, the child has fabricated the story.
c. ) Their stories should not be believed unless other evidence is apparent.
d. ) They should be able to retell the story the same way to another person.
a.) They may exhibit various behavioral manifestations.
Victims of sexual abuse have no typical profile. The child may exhibit various behavioral manifestations, none of which is diagnostic for sexual abuse. When children report potentially sexually abusive experiences, their reports need to be taken seriously. Other children in the household also need to be evaluated.
In children who are sexually abused, it is often difficult to identify other evidence. In one study, approximately 96% of children who were sexually abused had normal genital and anal findings. The ability to retell the story is partly dependent on the child’s cognitive level. Children who repeatedly tell identical stories may have been coached.
What are symptoms of abusive head trauma (AHT) in the more severe form that may be present? (Select all that apply.)
a. ) Seizures
b. ) Posturing
c. ) Tachypnea
d. ) Tachycardia
e. ) Altered level of consciousness
a.) Seizures
b.) Posturing
e.) Altered level of consciousness
In more severe forms, presenting symptoms of abusive head trauma may include seizures, posturing, alterations in level of consciousness, apnea, bradycardia, or death.
What is probably the most important criterion on which to base the decision to report suspected child abuse?
a. ) Inappropriate response of child
b. ) Inappropriate parental concern for the degree of injury
c. ) Absence of parents for questioning about child’s injuries
d. ) Incompatibility between the history and injury observed
d.) Incompatibility between the history and injury observed
Conflicting stories about the “accident” are the most indicative red flags of abuse. The child or caregiver may have an inappropriate response, but this is subjective. Parents should be questioned at some point during the investigation.
What do inflicted immersion burns often appear as?
a. ) Partial-thickness, asymmetrical burns
b. ) Splash pattern burns on hands or feet
c. ) Any splash burn with dry linear marks
d. ) Sharply demarcated, symmetrical burns
d.) Sharply demarcated, symmetrical burns
Immersion burns are sharply demarcated symmetrical burns. Asymmetrical burns and splash burns are often accidental.
What is the most common form of child maltreatment?
a. ) Sexual abuse
b. ) Child neglect
c. ) Physical abuse
d. ) Emotional abuse
b.) Child neglect
Child neglect, which is characterized by the failure to provide for the child’s basic needs, is the most common form of child maltreatment. Sexual abuse, physical abuse, and emotional abuse are individually not as common as neglect.
A child is admitted to the hospital with lesions on his abdomen that appear like cigarette burns. What should accurate documentation by the nurse include?
a. ) Two unhealed lesions are on the child’s abdomen.
b. ) Two round 4-mm lesions are on the child’s lower abdomen.
c. ) Two round symmetrical lesions are on the child’s lower abdomen.
d. ) Two round lesions on the child’s abdomen that appear to be cigarette burns.
b.) Two round 4-mm lesions are on the child’s lower abdomen.
Burn documentation should include the location, pattern, demarcation lines, and presence of eschar or blisters. The option that includes the size of the lesions is the most accurate.
A child is admitted with a suspected diagnosis of Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSBP). What is an important consideration in the care of this child?
a. ) Monitoring the parents whenever they are with the child
b. ) Reassuring the parents that the cause of the disorder will be found
c. ) Teaching the parents how to obtain necessary specimens
d. ) Supporting the parents as they cope with diagnosis of a chronic illness
a.) Monitoring the parents whenever they are with the child
MSBP refers to an illness that one person fabricates or induces in another. The child must be continuously observed for development of symptoms to determine the cause. MSBP is caused by an individual harming the child for the purpose of gaining attention.
Nursing staff should obtain all specimens for analyzing. This minimizes the possibility of the abuser contaminating the sample. The child must be supported through the diagnosis of MSBP. The abuser must be identified and the child protected from that individual.
A 3-month-old infant dies shortly after arrival to the emergency department. The infant has subdural and retinal hemorrhages but no external signs of trauma. What should the nurse suspect?
a. ) Unintentional injury
b. ) Shaken baby syndrome
c. ) Congenital neurologic problem
d. ) Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
b.) Shaken baby syndrome
Shaken baby syndrome causes internal bleeding but may have no external signs.
Unintentional injury would not cause these injuries. With unintentional injuries, external signs are usually present. Congenital neurologic problems would usually have signs of abnormal neurologic anatomy. SIDS does not usually have identifiable injuries.
When only one child is abused in a family, the abuse is usually a result of what?
a. ) The child is the firstborn.
b. ) The child is the same gender as the abusing parent.
c. ) The parent abuses the child to avoid showing favoritism.
d. ) The parent is unable to deal with the child’s behavioral style.
d.) The parent is unable to deal with the child’s behavioral style.
The child unintentionally contributes to the abuse. The “fit” or compatibility between the child’s temperament and the parent’s ability to deal with that behavior style is an important predictor.
Birth order and gender can contribute to abuse, but there is not a specific birth order or gender relationship that is indicative of abuse.
Being the firstborn or the same gender as the abuser is not linked to child abuse. Avoidance of favoritism is not usually a cause of abuse.
What identified characteristics occur more frequently in parents who abuse their children? (Select all that apply.)
a. ) Older parents
b. ) Socially isolated
c. ) Middle class parents
d. ) Single-parent families
e. ) Few supportive relationships
b.) Socially isolated
d.) Single-parent families
e.) Few supportive relationships
Abusive families are often socially isolated and have few supportive relationships. Single- parent families are at higher risk for abuse. Younger parents more often are abusers of their children. Abusive parents have stressors such as low-income circumstances, with little education, and are not middle class parents.
