Imagine being 19 years old and weighing only 45 pounds, which is the average weight of most 5 year olds. Imagine living a life of horror, and not knowing when your next meal would come, or the next time you will be showed any type of affection. For some children in America, this is their reality.
On October 19, 2003, a man called 911 at 2:30 a.m. to report that a small child was digging through the trash in search of food. "He had to be under 10," the man said in the 911 call. "He's very little, a very young kid." It just so happens that this was 19 year old Bruce Jackson weighing in at 45 pounds. Jackson was not the only one living a life of hell. Bruce had three other brothers; he and his three younger brothers were nearly being starved to death by their adoptive parents, Raymond and Vanessa Jackson. At 19, Bruce weighed only 45 pounds. Fourteen-year-old TreShawn weighed 40 pounds—a typical 14-year-old weighs 115 pounds. Ten-year-old Terrell weighed 28 pounds, when he should have weighed 70 pounds. Nine-year-old Michael weighed 23 pounds instead of the 60 pounds. At the average weight of an 18-month-old toddler, Michael wore baby clothes. Before the child neglect accured, Raymond and vanessa were well respected foster parents, who apparently felt the need to adopt these four children. Eventually these loving foster parents turned their once "safe" home into a hell hole for these four boys.
Child neglect is becoming a topic that is beaing heard about more and more in numerous media outlets. It is becoming more prominent to hear about children that have been left basically dead by their own biological parents. Parents, caretakers, and even babysitters are treating children who trust them even worse than animals in society. The question that always arises is: why do the adults adopt or have children that they chose to treat badly? Many people answer this question by saying it is due to psychological problems (like what) but often times that is not the case.
Child neglect is the most prevalent form of child maltreatment in the United States. According to the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS), of the approximately 899,000 children in the United States who were victims of abuse and neglect in 2005, 62.8 % (564,765 children) suffered from neglect alone, including medical neglect. According to NCANDS, 42.2 %of child maltreatment fatalities in the United States in 2005 occurred as a result of neglect only, 24.1 % as a result of physical abuse and neglect, and 27.3 % as a result of multiple maltreatment types. In an independent study, Prevent Child Abuse America, estimated that 1,291 children in the United States died in 2000 as a result of maltreatment, and that 45 % of these child maltreatment fatalities were attributable to neglect. NCANDS reported an increase of approximately 20,000 victims between 2004 and 2005. (wow, thats a crazy statistic. can you give the website)
NCANDS defines neglect as “a type of maltreatment that refers to the failure by the caregiver to provide needed, age-appropriate care although financially able to do so or offered financial or other means to do so”. Neglect is usually classified by an ongoing pattern of inadequate care and is readily observed by individuals in close contact with the child. Physicians, nurses, day care personnel, relatives and neighbors are frequently the ones to suspect and report neglect in infants, toddlers and preschool aged children. Once children are in school, school personnel often notice indicators of child neglect such as poor hygiene, poor weight gain, inadequate medical care or frequent absences from school.
The scary thing about educators in the school system, they often times do not step up and say anything until it is far too late. With the signs there, such as a great amount of weight loss and a desire to feel protected, teachers have the responsibility to make sure that their students are ok. Teachers are people who these children trust and look up to, especially younger children. So as a teacher you should honor the respect that your students have and step forward, and possibly step out and contact authority figures that can help.
There are many types of neglect that a child can endure. Below are the four different types and their description provided by the American Human Society.
Physical neglect
Physical neglect accounts for the majority of cases of maltreatment. Physical neglect generally involves the parent or caregiver not providing the child with basic necessities (e.g., adequate food, clothing and shelter). Failure or refusal to provide these necessities endangers the child’s physical health, well-being, psychological growth and development. Physical neglect also includes child abandonment, inadequate supervision, rejection of a child leading to expulsion from the home and failure to adequately provide for the child’s safety and physical and emotional needs. Physical neglect can severely impact a child’s development by causing failure to thrive; malnutrition; serious illness; physical harm in the form of cuts, bruises, burns or other injuries due to the lack of supervision; and a lifetime of low self-esteem.
Educational neglect
Educational neglect involves the failure of a parent or caregiver to enroll a child of mandatory school age in school or provide appropriate home schooling or needed special educational training, thus allowing the child or youth to engage in chronic truancy. Educational neglect can lead to the child failing to acquire basic life skills, dropping out of school or continually displaying disruptive behavior.
Emotional/Psychological neglect
Emotional/Psychological neglect includes actions such as engaging in chronic or extreme spousal abuse in the child’s presence, allowing a child to use drugs or alcohol, refusing or failing to provide needed psychological care, constantly belittling the child and withholding affection.
Medical neglect
Medical neglect is the failure to provide appropriate health care for a child (although financially able to do so), thus placing the child at risk of being seriously disabled or disfigured or dying.
Child neglect is a serious issue occuring in America. If these kids are not rescued in time, their bodies will basically give in and this can cause them to die. Children are a precious gift, so people should learn to cherish them with all their heart.