Childhood Abuse - Elliott

Question 1

What percent of young children are victims of child abuse?

Answer 1

~10%

Question 2

What is the leading substantiated cause of abuse?

Answer 2

neglect

Question 3

Who are physicians mandated to report suspected cases of child abuse to?

Answer 3

• Social Services or Local Sheriff
  
  • Verbal Report
  • Followed by a Written Report

Question 4

T/F Child abuse is an expression of family pathology?

Answer 4

True

Question 5

T/F Most people who were abused as children become violent adults?

Answer 5

False

Predictors of perpetration:

• 33% Raised in violent home
  
  • 25% Observed mother repeatedly brutalized
  • Victimized person (home, neighborhood, etc.)
• 19% Drug abusers
• 10% Alcoholics

Question 6

T/F The technical diagnosis of child abuse is easy compared to the difficulty of managing your emotional response as a physician to the abuse.

Answer 6

FALSE

Question 7

T/F More women are the perpetrators of child physical violence; more ment are the abusers in child sexual violence.

Answer 7

TRUE

• Physical Abuse= 54% performed by women onto child
• Sexual Abuse= >90% performed by male

Question 8

T/F A child with physical abuse injuries comes to the doctor when the injury occurs.

Answer 8

FALSE

-usually come in when injury doesn’t heal

Question 9

T/F The parent of an abused child gives clear explanations of how and when the injuries occurred.

Answer 9

FALSE

Question 10

T/F Bruises on padded areas of the body (buttocks, cheeks) are considered inflicted injuries until proven otherwise.

Answer 10

True

-require significant force

Question 11

T/F Bruises on the skin over bony prominences (chin, elbow, shins, forehead) are considered inflicted until proven otherwise.

Answer 11

False

• common areas of bruising/injury
• not as much padding to protect

Question 12

T/F Most parents who batter their children grew up in violent homes.

Answer 12

***

Question 13

T/F The behaviors of children who have been abused are extreme (aggressive or withdrawn).

Answer 13

True

Question 14

T/F Burns, bruises, welts, fractures, and lacerations can all be evidence of inflicted injury.

Answer 14

True

Question 15

T/F “Failure to thrive” can be an indicator of child abuse.

Answer 15

True

Question 16

T/F Families that abuse children are well integrated into the community.

Answer 16

FALSE

Family = isolated unit

Child abuse is a family secret that is carefully protected → hallmark aside from isolation

Question 17

T/F Children who are abused dislike the abusing parent.

Answer 17

False

Children who have been abused believe they caused the abuse

• Also true for intimate partner violence

Question 18

T/F Child sexual abuse occurs largely among lower socioeconomic levels.

Answer 18

False

This occurs in every level/setting. We cannot assume it is just among poor families.

Question 19

T/F Families in which the child sexual abuse is on-going have many friends.

Answer 19

False

ISOLATION

Question 20

T/F Normal child development is well understood by abusing families.

Answer 20

False

Important to explain anticipatory guidance with families in these situations.

Question 21

T/F Children who have been abused have strong self esteem.

Answer 21

False

Question 22

T/F Children who are being abused learn to separate from their emotions to cope with experiences.

Answer 22

True

Dissociative disorders = Children who are abused learn to separate from their emotions to cope with experience

Question 23

T/F One female in four and one male in seven has been sexually abused before age 18.

Answer 23

True :’(

Question 24

T/F The child’s and the parent’s behaviors are evidence of sexual abuse and need to be documented in the medical record.

Answer 24

True

Question 25

T/F The family structure of abusing families is rigid and enmeshed.

Answer 25

True

• Rigid - family that really has hard time with teenagers - no flexibility and no allowance for independence
• Enmeshed - one where there are no doors in the house, they know everything going on in everyone’s life, in each other’s business