Holiday stress can raise risk of child abuse
By Melissa Fletcher Stoeltje, San Antonio Express News
Source: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Holiday-stress-can-raise-risk-of-child-abuse-2338411.php
Along with seasonal delights, the holidays can also mean increased frustration and stress for parents — factors that can increase the chances of child abuse or neglect happening.
To help caregivers cope, Christus Santa Rosa Children's Hospital's Center for Miracles teamed up with the San Antonio Police Department and Sen. Carlos Uresti on Thursday to offer tips to prevent tragedy from occurring.
“When you feel like you're at your wit's end, take a ‘time out,'” said Dr. Nancy Kellogg, pediatrician at the Center for Miracles and chief of the child abuse division at the University of Texas Health Science Center. “Don't take that frustration out on your child or the child you may be caring for. Simply place the child in a safe area, such as a crib, and walk away for a few minutes. Gather your thoughts and then go deal with the situation.”
Parents aren't the only ones who can heed this advice, Kellogg said.
“If you see a mother who is dealing with stress, who has maybe lost a job or is facing insurmountable challenges, offer to take care of the child for 15 minutes,” she said.
It was eight years ago that four-year old Jovanie Ochoa was found in his family's home on Christmas morning, starved to death by family members, Sen. Uresti noted.
“We need to take a time out to remember Jovanie and all the other kids who are abused and neglected,” he said.
While there are no firm statistics showing that child abuse or neglect cases dramatically go up during the holidays in San Antonio, more “egregious” cases tend to happen this time of year, Kellogg said.
A center brochure offered other tips:
It's normal for infants to cry for as much as two to four hours a day. Make sure they're not wet, hungry or tired. If the crying becomes too much, take a time-out.
Distract toddlers from tantrums by redirecting their attention to something else, or put them in time-out so everyone can calm down.
Never scold or punish a child for an accident during potty-training, which for some children can take more than one year to complete. Accidents can happen up to age 6.
Valerie De Alba, 19, spoke of the pain she and her son, Eli, endured after he sustained a skull fracture when he was six months old and in the care of her then-live-in boyfriend.
“I wish I had known sooner that I had resources where I could find help,” Alba said. “Be a good parent — smile at your children, rather than take your frustration out on them.”
Her son, now 1, has fully recovered, she said.
For more information on taking time outs, go to www.centerformiracles.org. If you feel you are losing control, call 1-800-4-A-CHILD. To report suspected abuse, call 1-800-252-5400.