Treating Childhood Abuse Essay Paper
Treating Childhood Abuse Essay Paper
Discussion- Treating Childhood Abuse-wk4
In 2012, statistics in the United States indicated that state CPS agencies received 3.4 million referrals for child abuse and neglect. Of these, nearly 700,000 children were found to be victims of maltreatment: 18% were victims of physical abuse and 78% were victims of neglect (CDC, 2014). Child sexual abuse makes up roughly 10% of child maltreatment cases in the United States (CDC, 2014). The CDC considers sexual abuse at any age a form of violence. Child abuse of any kind can lead to an increased state of inflammatory markers in adulthood, as well as multiple physical illnesses and high-risk behavior such as alcoholism and drug abuse. If a PMHNP identifies child abuse, there may be a need to report the abuse to authorities. Once able to provide treatment, the PMHNP can be instrumental in reducing the long-term effects of child abuse.
In this Discussion, you recommend strategies for assessing for abuse and analyze influences of media and social media on mental health. You also evaluate the need for mandatory reporting of abuse.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
• Recommend strategies for assessing for abuse
• Analyze influences of media and social media on mental health
• Evaluate the need for mandatory reporting of abuse
To Prepare for this Discussion:
• Read the Learning Resources concerning treating childhood abuse.
• Read the Child Abuse Case Study in the Learning Resources.- SEE ATTACHED
QUESTION
Post:
• What strategies would you employ to assess the patient for abuse? Explain why you selected these strategies.
• How might exposure to the media and/or social media affect the patient?
• What type of mandatory reporting (if any) is required in this case? Why?
Treating childhood abuse
Introduction
Child abuse refers to a situation in which a child is subjected to maltreatment. The maltreatment can be an actual or potential occurrence that harms the psychologically, sexually or physically harms the child. It should be noted that the maltreatment is typically carried out by an individual or persons who are expected to protect the child such as siblings, guardians, parents or care givers (Woodside & McClam, 2015). In this respect, child abuse is a situation in which the child is intentionally exposed to harm.
What strategies would you employ to assess the patient for abuse? Explain why you selected these strategies.
There are two strategies that medical personnel can apply to assess a patient for abuse. The first strategy involves subjecting the patient to an interview and collecting information on whether the patient was subjected to abuse. This includes identifying specific instances of abuse along with verifying evidence that includes scars and physical injuries. The second strategy involves interviewing the persons who have close contact with the patient to include siblings, parents, neighbors, friends, and so on. These are persons who have regular contact with the patient who could either be responsible for the abuse or are aware of who is abusing the patient and can offer evidence to that effect. The final strategy involves accessing and receiving the patient’s medical records along with carrying out a physical assessment. These strategy collects medical evidence to show that the patient has been subjected to some form of abuse (Ambrosino, Hefferman & Shuttlesworth, 2015). Treating Childhood Abuse Essay Paper
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How might exposure to the media and/or social media affect the patient?
Exposure to media and social media is likely to affect a patient who has been subjected to abuse. This would occur by sensitizing the patient to child abuse, with information on what constitutes abuse and how to get help. With this information, the patient would be better protected from future abuse. Those who have been victims of abuse will get access to resources that facilitate their recovery (Woodside & McClam, 2015).
What type of mandatory reporting (if any) is required in this case? Why?
There are legislative provisions in place that designate certain individuals and professions to undertake mandatory reporting in case they come across instance of abuse. In fact, these provisions make it mandatory for certain professions and individuals to report suspected cases of abuse to law enforcement agencies. The professions and individuals required to make mandatory reporting include police officers, medical personnel (such as physicians and nurses), coroners, caregivers, psychiatric personnel (such as counsellors and therapists), school personnel, and social workers. These professions and individuals are required by law to report cases of abuse since they have regular contact with vulnerable populations that are likely to be subjected to abuse. This means that they can be credible sources of information on people being subjected to abuse (Kirst-Ashman, 2013).
Conclusion
One must accept that child abuse is a source of concern. That is because it exposes vulnerable population to harm that they cannot defend against. Also, it is an indication that the persons who should have protected the vulnerable individual failed to do so. To ensure that abuse cases are handled well, there is a need to confirm cases of abuse through interviewing the patients and the persons around them as well as receiving medical records. Besides that, there is a need for professions and individuals who have regular contact with the child to report all suspected cases of abuse by using the mandatory reporting provisions.
Discussion- Treating Childhood Abuse
In 2012, statistics in the United States indicated that state CPS agencies received 3.4 million referrals for child abuse and neglect. Of these, nearly 700,000 children were found to be victims of maltreatment: 18% were victims of physical abuse and 78% were victims of neglect (CDC, 2014). Child sexual abuse makes up roughly 10% of child maltreatment cases in the United States (CDC, 2014). The CDC considers sexual abuse at any age a form of violence. Child abuse of any kind can lead to an increased state of inflammatory markers in adulthood, as well as multiple physical illnesses and high-risk behavior such as alcoholism and drug abuse. If a PMHNP identifies child abuse, there may be a need to report the abuse to authorities. Once able to provide treatment, the PMHNP can be instrumental in reducing the long-term effects of child abuse.
In this Discussion, you recommend strategies for assessing for abuse and analyze influences of media and social media on mental health. You also evaluate the need for mandatory reporting of abuse.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
- Recommend strategies for assessing for abuse
- Analyze influences of media and social media on mental health
- Evaluate the need for mandatory reporting of abuse
To Prepare for this Discussion:
- Read the Learning Resources concerning treating childhood abuse.
- Read the Child Abuse Case Study in the Learning Resources.
Note: For this Discussion, you are required to complete your initial post before you will be able to view and respond to your colleagues’ postings. Begin by clicking on the “Post to Discussion Question” link and then select “Create Thread” to complete your initial post. Remember, once you click submit, you cannot delete or edit your own posts and cannot post anonymously. Please check your post carefully before clicking Submit!
QUESTION
Post:
- What strategies would you employ to assess the patient for abuse? Explain why you selected these strategies.
- How might exposure to the media and/or social media affect the patient?
- What type of mandatory reporting (if any) is required in this case? Why?
Learning Resources
Note: To access this week’s required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus.
Required Readings
Sadock, B. J., Sadock, V. A., & Ruiz, P. (2014). Kaplan & Sadock’s synopsis of psychiatry: Behavioral sciences/clinical psychiatry (11th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer.
- Chapter 31, “Child Psychiatry” (pp. 1216–1226)
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
- “Trauma- and Stressor-related Disorders”
Note: You will access this book from the Walden Library databases.
Pfefferbaum, B., & Shaw, J. A. (2013). Practice parameter on disaster preparedness. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 52(11), 1224–1238. Retrieved from http://www.jaacap.com/article/S0890-8567(13)00550-9/pdf
American Psychiatric Nurses Association. (2017). Childhood and adolescent trauma. Retrieved from http://www.apna.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageID=4545
Document: Childhood Abuse Case Study (PDF)
Stahl, S. M. (2014). Prescriber’s Guide: Stahl’s Essential Psychopharmacology (5th ed.). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
Note: All Stahl resources can be accessed through the Walden Library using the link. This link will take you to a login page for the Walden Library. Once you log in to the library, the Stahl website will appear.
To access information on the following medications, click on The Prescriber’s Guide, 5th Ed. tab on the Stahl Online website and select the appropriate medication.
Review the following medications:
Note: Many of these medications are FDA approved for adults only. Some are FDA approved for disorders in children and adolescents. Many are used “off label” for the disorders examined in this week. As you read the Stahl drug monographs, focus your attention on FDA approvals for children/adolescents (including “ages” for which the medication is approved, if applicable) and further note which drugs are “off label.”
Optional Resources
Thapar, A., Pine, D. S., Leckman, J. F., Scott, S., Snowling, M. J., & Taylor, E. A. (2015). Rutter’s child and adolescent psychiatry (6th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Blackwell.
- Chapter 50, “Provision of Intensive Treatment: Intensive Outreach, Day Units, and In-Patient Units” (pp. 648–664)
- Chapter 58, “Disorders of Attachment and Social Engagement Related to Deprivation” (pp. 795–805)
- Chapter 59, “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder” (pp. 806–821)
- Chapter 64, “Suicidal Behavior and Self-Harm” (pp. 893–912)
