April 2008

NHM Health Focus:
Child Abuse Prevention

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. This year's theme, Promoting Healthy Families in Your Community, is a time to raise awareness about child abuse and neglect and encourage individuals and communities to support children and families.

Child abuse takes many different forms: physical, sexual, neglectful, emotional, or any combination, and is more common than many people think.

• "Each year, 1,000,000 children in the United States are victims of child abuse and 3 children a day die from abuse or neglect." (KeepKidsHealthy.com)

• "Studies show that one in four girls and one in eight boys will be sexually abused before they are 18 years old. About one in 20 children is physically abused each year." (American Academy of Pediatrics)

• Children (ages 3 and younger) are the most frequent victims of death caused by an injury resulting from abuse or neglect, or where abuse or neglect were contributing factors. NCANDS data for 2004 demonstrated children younger than 1 year accounted for 45 percent of these fatalities, while children younger than 4 years accounted for 81 percent of such fatalities. This population of children is the most vulnerable for many reasons, including their dependency, small size, and inability to defend themselves.
  Child Welfare Information Gateway

• "Between 70 percent and 79 percent of people convicted of killing or hurting babies are men." The average age of perpetrators is 24; 62 percent are the father of the victim, while another 20 percent are the live-in boyfriend of the mother." (National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome)

Local, regional and national public and private organizations are working to provide parent education, increase public awareness, and teach child safety skills. In addition, many hours of volunteer work enhance the efforts of these organized efforts to prevent child abuse.

Access Excellence @ the National Health Museum resources related to child abuse and prevention:

• Health Headquarters: Health Question of the Week – Shaken Baby
• Health Headquarters: Health Question of the Week – Severe Stress Reactions
• Health Headquarters: Health Focus – Children's Health Month
• Activities Exchange: Fellows Collection – One + One = One
• Let's Collaborate: Bioethics – Fetal Alcohol Syndrome