Child abuse and neglect

Abstract

This chapter deals with the entity of child abuse and neglect (CAN). Although hundreds of thousands of children are subjected to CAN worldwide, reliable data on the prevalence and incidence of CAN are scarce. In countries with well-developed social service agencies, the incidence of CAN seems to be fairly consistent. Incidence rates are usually drawn from data collected by child protection services, but not all countries have such services and not all CAN cases are reported. CAN occurs across socioeconomic, religious, cultural, racial and ethnic groups, and there is no single known cause. Much research has shown that the health consequences of CAN are far broader than just death and injuries. Victims of CAN are at risk of psychological and behavioral problems that may last a lifetime. The initial medical treatment of CAN victims should proceed no differently from treatment of accidentally injured children.