child abuse in the home. That is more than 1,000 children a year and most of these children are
under the age of six. (http://www.childhelpusa.org/child/links.htm) You may be wondering, what
exactly is child abuse? Of what does it consist? Are there different types? What are the signs?
Read on to find all the answers and take a look into the life of Dave Pelzer who was a victim of
child abuse. Also, do not forget to read child protection and preventive services to find out how
to protect and prevent child abuse in your area.
Child abuse is widespread and needs to be not only acknowledged but curtailed. When people
conceive child abuse many think of physical harm and nothing else. They think of external or
internal bruises, burns, fractures, wounds or poisoning and do not conceptualize actions of
sexual molestation or neglect. In 1995 the American Medical Association stated, "Child abuse
occurs if a person who has the care or custody of a child causes or allows the child to suffer any
of the following: physical harm, such as external or internal bruises, burns, fractures, wounds,
brain damage or poisoning; malnutrition (including dehydration) or mental ill-heath of a degree
that if not immediately remedied could seriously impair growth and development or result in
permanent injury or death; or sexual molestation."(Snyder, Check, and Koop 15-16 ). Health
Canada states, "Child abuse occurs when a parent, guardian or caregiver [sic] mistreats or
neglects a child, resulting in injury, or significant emotional or psychological harm, or serious
risk of harm to the child."(http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hppb/familyviolence/html/childabueng.html)
While children of all ages are at risk of child abuse, those three years old or less are most
frequently investigated for neglect. Neglect originates when the child 's