Celebrating the Month of the Military Child -- What all children need Published April 5, 2012 By Staff Sgt. Canton Todd 5th Medical Group family advocacy program MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- Imagine for just a moment that you were a child again - what would being a child again mean for you? How would you make it different? Would it involve more play, lots of energy, a battery that recharged on sugar, or innocent laughter with minimal responsibilities? As adults, it is tempting to reminisce on the greener pastures of childhood, allowing ourselves to get lost in happy thoughts while forgetting the hardships that growing up can bring with it. It is easy to assume that children everywhere must be living our idealized image of childhood. However, not all childhood experiences are positive. Some childhood experiences can be harmful, frightful and even dangerous. Unfortunately, it is too often that those who have the greatest responsibility for childcare fail to ensure some of the most basic components of childhood needs. All of us need to remember that children have the right to live in an environment that is free from abuse and neglect. A child's sense of continuity and connectedness is paramount to their healthy development. Children deserve nurturing environments in which their physical, emotional, educational and social needs are met. But how do we know when we are doing a good job of caring for children? First, we need to define some terms: What constitutes child abuse? The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act provides minimum standards for defining physical child abuse, child neglect and sexual abuse: 1. Any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker that results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse, or exploitation; 2. An act or failure to act that presents an imminent risk of serious harm. There are four commonly recognized forms of child abuse or maltreatment: 1. Physical 2. Sexual 3. Neglect 4. Psychological Physical abuse: Approximately 19 percent of all known victims were physically abused, an estimated rate of two per 1,000 children. Sexual abuse: Of all reported maltreated children, more than ten percent had been sexually abused, an estimated rate of one per 1,000 children. Neglect: More than half of all reported victims suffered neglect (including medical neglect), an estimated rate of seven per 1,000 children. Psychological maltreatment: Less than eight percent were identified as victims of psychological maltreatment, or less than one per 1,000 children. Among the four types of abuse, child neglect is the most common form and is generally characterized by omissions in care resulting in significant harm or risk of significant harm. Neglect is frequently defined in terms of failure to provide for the child's basic needs such as deprivation of adequate food, clothing, shelter, supervision or medical care. The most common form of neglect is inadequate supervision - leaving a child unsupervised or inadequately supervised for extended periods of time or allowing the child to remain away from home overnight without the parent or caretaker knowing or attempting to determine the child's whereabouts. Minot AFB follows and enforces North Dakota Child Supervision Guidelines to ensure caregivers are making well-informed decisions concerning the adequate supervision required for children of specific ages. A child's age is one factor to consider but there are other requirements specific and unique to each child's situation. Factors such as the maturity of the child, emotional health and physical or cognitive limitations are also important considerations. There are also numerous risk factors for child abuse such as marital conflict, domestic violence, single parenthood, unemployment, financial stress and social isolation that may increase the likelihood of maltreatment. In general, research has found that supportive, emotionally satisfying relationships with a network of relatives or friends can help minimize the risk of parents maltreating children, especially during stressful life events. For more information on child neglect or child abuse, please contact the Family Advocacy Program at 723-5096. Parents Anonymous Web site: www.parentsanonymous.org National Children's Alliance (800)-239-9950 or (202)-452-6001 Web site: www.nca-online.org National Child Abuse Hotline, 1-800-4-A-Child (800-422-4453), Child Abuse Reporting Hotline North Dakota (ND) (800)-245-3736