Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention

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Call 1-800-252-5400 to report abuse Visit txabusehotline.org to report abuse online

Child abuse and neglect include all forms of physical and emotional harm, sexual abuse, neglect, and exploitation that results in actual or potential harm to the child's health, development or dignity. Within this broad definition, five subtypes can be distinguished – physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect and negligent treatment, emotional abuse and exploitation.

The Cook Children's Child Advocacy Resource and Evaluation (C.A.R.E.) team provides medical and forensic evaluations for suspected victims.

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month

Support, recognize, report. Everyone can make a difference. We understand that parenting is hard, even in the best of times; however, it's important to remember that abuse can have lasting effects on a child. It can impact their physical or mental health, or change their behavior.

It takes repetition to form a new habit. Do these things often:

Give your child praise and hugs. Say "I love you" often.
Establish clear expectations and logical outcomes.
Discipline fairly and with love. Never use violence or put-downs.
Always show respect for your child's thoughts and feelings.
Keep your sense of humor and manage stress in healthy ways. If you feel overwhelmed, arrange for outside help. Get tips for stress management here.

Abuse and neglect can occur outside the home, sometimes in places we like to think of as "safe," and can include peer groups (bullying, date rape, hazing, etc.). Abuse and neglect can also begin with a stranger who befriends kids and leads them into human trafficking with promises of glamour, money, material goods ... and love. But abuse can – and most often does – happen in the home or within the family. Knowing what constitutes abuse and neglect is the first step toward stopping it. Abuse and neglect of a child includes:

Sexual abuse – inappropriate touching, indecent exposure, and exploitation, including human trafficking
Physical abuse – punching, beating, kicking, biting, shaking, or threatening with any type of weapon
Neglect – malnourishment, dirty clothing and living quarters, child left alone for long periods of time, frequent absences and tardiness at school
Emotional abuse – extreme punishment such as being locked in a room or closet or denied food or water, name calling, belittling, blaming, withholding love
Drug exposure – prenatal exposure to drug abuse and children exposed to drugs and alcohol abuse by parents, including illegal drug activity in the home which may put a child in harm's way.
Medical child abuse – often referred to as Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy – a caregiver may cause a child to become ill just to gain attention. The result is needless medical intervention and treatment and risky actions by the caregiver which can cause great harm and risk to the child's health and life.
Physical neglect – failure to meet a child's basic physical needs. These needs include housing, food, clothing and education.
Emotional neglect – failure to meet a child's basic emotional needs. This happens when caregivers do not validate and/or appropriately respond to a child’s feelings.
Medical neglect – failure to seek medical care for signs of serious illness or failure to follow medical instructions once medical care has been provided. Lack of access to medical care is not considered medical neglect.

Statistics indicate that one in three girls and one in six boys will be sexually abused before their 18th birthday. The majority of sexual abuse victims know their abuser. They can have any relationship to the child including a playmate, family member, a teacher, a coach, a caretaker, youth group leader, or the parent of another child.

Some behavioral and emotional responses are common among victims of sexual abuse. Parents should remember that not all children who demonstrate these behaviors have been abused. Common symptoms of sexual abuse can include:

Depression – withdrawal, poor motivation, increase in crying, talking about death/dying, suicidal thoughts and/or attempts
Poor self-esteem, feelings of worthlessness
Anxiety
Changes in sleep patterns, nightmares, bedwetting
Regression – loss of bowel and bladder control, thumb sucking, renewed need for a security blanket, clingy behavior
Unusual fears of people and places
Acting out sexually
Eating disorders or feeding difficulties
Changes in school performance, loss of concentration, distraction
Substance abuse
Frequent medical complaints, such as nausea, headaches
Excessive masturbation

*List adapted from material by Suzanne Sgroi, M.D., a leading researcher in the area of child sexual abuse.

"Stewards of Children® online training for caregivers to prevent child sexual abuse"

Educate them about their bodies. Teach them about which parts are private. Help them to understand the difference between touches that are okay and those that aren't. Let them know that it's okay to tell if someone tries to touch or hurt them, that it's okay not to keep a secret that makes them feel bad or scared.
Teach them when to say, "no." We want our children to be respectful of others, and we want them to respect themselves. Help them understand that it's okay to say no to someone who is trying to get them to do something uncomfortable.
Create safety rules then discuss and practice them often.

For more in-depth information on child abuse and neglect, how to recognize the signs, and what you can do help bring an end to this issues, visit kidshealth.org.

Grooming is a term used for the manipulative behaviors sexual abusers use to gain the trust of their victims. Grooming can include sharing secrets, giving gifts, isolating the child from others, normalizing sexual behavior, and pushing personal boundaries starting with things such as tickling or wrestling with the child.

Though grooming can take many different forms, it often follows a similar pattern.

Victim selection: Abusers often observe possible victims and select them based on ease of access to them or their perceived vulnerability.
Gaining access and isolating the victim: Abusers will attempt to physically or emotionally separate a victim from those protecting them and often seek out positions in which they have contact with minors.
Trust development and keeping secrets: Abusers attempt to gain trust of a potential victim through gifts, attention, sharing "secrets" and other means to make them feel that they have a caring relationship and to train them to keep the relationship secret.
Desensitization to touch and discussion of sexual topics: Abusers will often start to touch a victim in ways that appear harmless, such as hugging, wrestling and tickling, and later escalate to increasingly more sexual contact, such as massages or showering together. Abusers may also show the victim pornography or discuss sexual topics with them, to introduce the idea of sexual contact.
Attempt by abusers to make their behavior seem natural, to avoid raising suspicions. For teens, who may be closer in age to the abuser, it can be particularly hard to recognize tactics used in grooming. Be alert for signs that your teen has a relationship with an adult that includes secrecy, undue influence or control, or pushes personal boundaries.

*Grooming information provided by RAINN.org.

Common symptoms of physical abuse**

Reporting injury by parents/caretakers
Patterned marks or bruises (such as a handprint or belt shape)
Running away from home
Behaving aggressively
Emotional dysregulation (easily distressed, irritable, or angry)
Expecting no comfort or assurance from parents
Becoming highly aware or overly sensitive to his/her surroundings
Having difficulty learning
Wearing clothes that hide injuries
Recording poor school attendance

If you suspect that a child is the victim of abuse and neglect, contact the police department where you believe the abuse occured. You can also call the Texas Abuse Hotline at 1-800-252-5400, or file a report at www.TxAbuseHotline.org. If it is an emergency, please dial 911 for assistance.

Community prevention efforts

In addition to the efforts of the C.A.R.E Team to identify victims of abuse and neglect, Cook Children's Center for Community Health works within the community to prevent abuse and neglect. Additionally, the Center is addressing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) through a dedicated team providing professional education, nurturing protective factors and mitigating the effects of traumatic events.

Adverse Child Experiences Team

Video resources

Raising Healthy Kids | Why My Child Needs Regular Checkups || ACEs | Cook Children's

Raising Healthy Kids | Why my child needs regular check ups

If my child is not sick, why would I take them to the doctor? That’s a great question! Having a primary care pediatrician, or medical home, that you trust is important for your child’s overall health and well-being. In this video you will learn how often you need to take your baby or child to the doctor.

Raising Healthy Kids | What to Expect at a Checkup || ACEs | Cook Children's

Raising Healthy Kids | What to expect at a check up

If my child is not sick, why would I take them to the doctor? That’s a great question! Having a primary care pediatrician, or medical home, that you trust is important for your child’s overall health and well-being. In this video you will learn what to expect during these appointments and how your doctor can be a helpful resource for you as your child grows.

Play in early childhood: the role of play in any setting

In this video, learn more about how play can foster children's resilience to hardship, and how the complex interactions involved when children play help build their brains.

How to parent a teen from a teen’s perspective

A teen’s opinion on parenting from stereotypes and experience. This talk teaches parents about technology, teen emotions, and types of parents, all from a teen’s perspective.

What to do when your child has a tantrum (at home)

Ah, the dreaded temper tantrum. They’re no fun, but they are a normal part of childhood, and parenting. Cook Children's pediatrician and mom, Dr. Christina Sherrod, shares why kids have tantrums, when they'll outgrow them, and what to do when your child is having one.

What to do when your child has a tantrum (in public)

Temper tantrums are stressful, especially when you're out in public, like shopping or at a social or family gathering. Cook Children's pediatrician and mom, Dr. Christina Sherrod, has some tips to help you manage your child's meltdown.

Self-Regulation – Tips for teaching your child to remain in a calm state and maintain body control

Self-regulation is learned during everyday activities and interactions with others. Young children learn to regulate their thinking, behaviour and emotions. Children who engage in intentional self-regulation are able to learn more easily. You can help your child to remain in a calm, alert state by having a predictable routine.

Parenting tips- what is positive discipline?

What is positive discipline? Watch as Parents Magazine defines different methods of discipline for some easy parenting tips to try. Discipline means "to teach," and through discipline, your child learns self-control. Positive discipline means you show respect, listen, reward good behavior, and remind your children that you love them when teaching them right from wrong. Negative discipline, such as spanking, leads to fear and low self-esteem.