THE MISTREATED CHILD

“The battered child” has recently attracted the attention of physicians and social workers, but despite the fact that inflicted trauma produces characteristic x-ray changes, physicians are often reluctant to admit this cause. The neglected child may be more difficult to diagnose and is probably more common. The most typical example is the infant who is admitted to the hospital for “failure to thrive,” yet gains weight rapidly while away from his parents.The parents of both types of children are likely to be immature and inadequate, but much more study is required before the factors common to these parents are known, to say nothing of the means required for prevention and treatment.When the physician suspects that the parent is causing the difficulties manifested by the child, he should seek the help of a social worker in clarifying the situation and in contacting the appropriate social or legal agency. A greater awareness of the problems of these children should result in more rapid recognition of the condition, the establishment of well-defined methods of handling such cases, and ultimately better legislation to safeguard the child''s rights to a safe and healthy childhood.     

THE THORNY CHILD

Too many physicians—and parents—hide behind the overworked excuse that “Johnny is just going through a stage.” If the remark is inaccurate a great disservice can be done to both mother and child, and ultimately to society. The well oriented physician would no more permit a young mother to unwittingly feel “guilty” because her two-year-old “little stinker” behaves like a two-year-old little stinker than he would casually reassure when a ten-year-old behaves as though he were two.Actually much of the unpleasant behavior of children is quite normal. If physicians would help all young mothers to recognize this without dismissing abnormal behavior, it would do much to avert the overwhelming sense of inadequacy that so many modern young mothers feel—especially with their first baby. If they can be made comfortable with their first the others usually come easily. Many physicians who care for children are not trained in the rudiments of developmental behavior. By means of a simple outline and drawing of “the thorny child” even the least of the experts can better understand some of the chronologic variations in developmental behavior.