Child abuse can be described as intentional harm or mistreatment to any child under the age of majority, 18 and below. There are many forms in which child abuse takes place. For instance, a child can be abused physically, sexually or emotionally. These types of damage may affect the development of a child brain and physical growth. A child can also be abused by being neglected by parents or caregivers ( Shiakou, 2011). Failure in the provision of basic needs to children such as shelter, food, medications, supervision, and education is considered to be an abuse of children. This paper seeks to analyze the symptoms, diagnostics of child abuse in the case study by understanding the attachment style of Paul and suggestion on how to handle the child abuse situation.
Attachment style
Considering the signs of child abuse that Paul displayed in the case study, he can be grouped under Disorganized. Disorganized attachment is a type of attachment style where a child has been exposed to mistreatment from parents or caregivers. The child tends to feel frightened in the presence of the parents or the caregiver who inflicts fears on the children by the exposing them to physical or mental torture (Styron & Janoff-Bulman, 1997). This type of attachment pattern is most likely to lead to a psychiatric diagnosis of the reactive disorder. Children experiencing this type of design tend to display disoriented behaviors and a suggestive collapse in behavioral integrity and formation. Looking at Paul as suggested in the case study, we find that he has been psychologically abused on many occasions. For instance, if Paul soils himself, he will be left uncleaned and neglect with the pretense that he has to learn how its feel to soil himself. He is also denied food as a punishment for soiling which could have led to his severe loss of weight. ( Shiakou, 2011). On another instance, Paul’s teacher explains that He comes to school with a dead bird in his pocket and could not tell why he was carrying a dead bird. Feeling upset and low self-esteem in a group of his peers is also one of the symptoms of the disorganized pattern (Styron & Janoff-Bulman, 1997).
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Diagnosis
Paul is displaying various symptoms of physical and psychological abuse. To identify a child who is abused may feel ashamed or guilty or confused. These symptoms are prominent with Paul as we see him getting upset during games with peers and he thinks that his peers are mean to him. He shows signs of confusion by carrying a bird in his pocket that he explains that he does not know what to do with it. Paul is frequently absent from schools, something that is caused by the movement of his parents and sometimes separations (Finkel, 2002).
Effects of Neglects
There is also change in behaviors such as anger, aggression, hyperactivity, and hostility where we see him lit a fire under the bed in his bedroom because his sister’s friend stays there and he complains of the house being overcrowded (Finkel, 2002). Paul also lacks apparent close supervision from his parents. Paul shows symptoms of neglect from the caregiver of parents where he has reduced hygiene according to his teacher, and he might also do bowels in the classroom closet. According to his parents, at four years old he was not trained how to use the potty a sign of loss of previously acquired skills. The case study also displays Paul to have had weak growth and symptoms of weight loss this is as a result of neglect from parents or caregivers (Patterson, 1991).
Interventions
The first thing to be done to in this case is to conduct comprehensive instigations and evaluation of the level and child abuse. The investigation reports obtained at the stage of assessment can be used to perform clinical treatment of physical and emotional injuries ( Patterson, 1991). A family canceling on children care and child abuse is also significant to keep awareness of the consequences caused by child abuse. Legal action has to be taken against the perpetrators of child abuse in the society.
References
Finkel, M. A. (2002). Child abuse: medical diagnosis and management (2nd ed.). Child Abuse & Neglect , 26 (4), 443-444. doi:10.1016/s0145-2134(02)00318-6
Patterson, R. (1991). Child abuse: Implications for child development and psychopathology. Child Abuse & Neglect , 15 (4), 602. doi:10.1016/0145-2134(91)90046-g
Shiakou, M. (2011). Representations of Attachment Patterns in the Family Drawings of Maltreated and Non-maltreated Children. Child Abuse Review , 21 (3), 203-218. doi:10.1002/car.1184
Styron, T., & Janoff-Bulman, R. (1997). Childhood attachment and abuse: Long-term effects on adult attachment, depression, and conflict resolution. Child Abuse & Neglect , 21 (10), 1015-1023. doi:10.1016/s0145-2134(97)00062-8
