Student Discussion That Needs to Be Responded to:

The most common types of child abuse include, physical abuse, psychological abuse, and sexual abuse (Grand Canyon University, 2022). Risks associated with this type of abuse include being of lower class, alcohol and drug abuse, and mental illness (Grand Canyon University, 2022). The most commonly seen type of abuse that can visually see is physical abuse. Although, not all physical abuse can be reported. Children will often times be reluctant to report abuse to healthcare providers. Such signs of abuse indicated by children are fearfulness, inappropriate sexual behavior, abnormal or irrational fears, and social withdrawal (Grand Canyon University, 2022). In the Hispanic culture, it’s common to use a belt to spank their children whenever their children misbehave. Often times, this may get out of hand and lead to actually physical abuse. Spanking is a controversial topic but when coupled with alcohol abuse by the parent and repeated use of spanking using material objects such as a “belt”, children may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. The most common form of child abuse amongst this age is neglect (Brown et al., 2023). 18 percent are physically abused, while 78 percent are neglected, and 9 percent are sexually abused (Brown et al., 2023). Nurses are mandate reporters for any kind of abuse suspected. Nurse must report to the appropriate law enforcement or county child welfare agency. Reports of abuse are kept confidential.

Thank you,

Gabriel Barba Jr, RN

Reference

Brown, C. L., Rabbitt, A. L., & Yilanli, M. (2023, May 29). Child physical abuse and neglect – statpearls – NCBI bookshelf. National Library of Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470337/

Grand Canyon University (Ed.). (2022). Health Assessment: Foundations for Effective Practice (2nd ed.)

Original Discussion Prompt:

Assessment Description

Child abuse and maltreatment is not limited to a particular age—it can occur in the infant, toddler, preschool, and school-age years. Choose one of the four age groups and outline the types of abuse most commonly seen among children of that age. Describe warning signs and physical and emotional assessment findings the nurse may see that could indicate child abuse. Discuss cultural variations of health practices that can be misidentified as child abuse. Describe the reporting mechanism in your state and nurse responsibilities related to the reporting of suspected child abuse. Identify two factors that increase the vulnerability of a child for abuse in the age group you have selected.

Example of How to Respond to a Student Discussion: 

Hi Nita,

I like how you discuss both the teacher observing the student and the student observing their own art. You bring up excellent points about the teachers observing the children, because it does help the teacher to better communicate with the children and understand them better. As teachers, it is very important to nurture students, particularly if they are very young, I think, because it allows them to better understand the needs of the student, and how to work with them. Paying attention to what the student is drawing, and seeing how the student reacts to their own work can improve the teachers’ understanding.

Expressing feelings in this discussion board reply examples is a major component of growing up. The more a student is able to express those feelings, the more they can understand them. I liked reading about what you said on this topic, and I agree that the art is a very useful tool that students can learn to express their feelings effectively. If they do not express them, they are keeping them inside, and drawing can become a form of counseling for them. In my opinion, I think the drawing can be particularly useful for many students who are quiet. These students do not often express themselves verbally, and drawing can be a way for them to understand their feelings, and to release some pent up sadness of hostile feelings, for example. I think this form of therapy sticks with many people throughout life, and they continue to use drawing as a coping mechanism.

Thanks,
Steven