12.3 Child Malnourishment

child malnourishment

action or failure to act by a parent or caretaker resulting in physical or emotional harm to a child.

maltreatment

any action or failure to act that results in harm or risk of serious harm to a child

infant under 1 are at greatest risk

• victimized at twice the rate of older children

• the need to provide constant care to infants can overwhelm the resources of same parents and can lead them to act violently towards their infants

neglect

failure of a caregiver to provide necessary food, water, shelter, medical care, or supervision, harming the child's health and safety — most common

physical abuse

any behavior that results in non-accidental physical injury to a child

emotional abuse

a pattern of behavior in which a caregiver demeans, criticizes, or withholds love from a child, making the child feel worthless

sexual abuse

Involves sexual acts or exploitation involving children, including inappropriate touching or exposure to sexual content

polyvictimization

the co-occurrence of multiple forms of maltreatment experienced by a child

risk factors for maltreatment

Include parents’ lack of knowledge, low income, inadequate housing, substance dependence, and exposure to domestic violence.

consequences of maltreatment

children may experience cognitive delays, emotional and behavior issues, and a range of psychiatric disorders

statistics on victims

in 2021, 588,229 children in America were confirmed victims of maltreatment

death rate due to maltreatment

in 2021, 1,753 children died from maltreatment in the US, nearly half were under 1 year old

chronic abuse effects

the chronicity of abuse correlates with worse long-term outcomes for children