Children require compassion and the highest degree of care. Unfortunately all too often, parents, grandparents, or guardians fall short of this standard. In some situations, this substandard care can constitute child neglect, which is a serious offense in the state of Georgia. The Child Welfare Department even reports that 2.36 children out of 100,000 children die each day as a result of abuse or neglect. To make sure that children stay safe, it is helpful to understand how to quickly recognize the signs of child neglect.
The Types of Child Neglect
There are three primary types of child neglect:
- Denial of medical care. If a child requires medical care and a caretaker willfully denies the child access to treatment, this constitutes medical neglect and can end up jeopardizing a child’s life. Instead, it is critical to take children who require medical to a medical professional.
- Educational neglect. Children who are denied access to a proper education are also considered to be the victims of neglect. Any acts by a parent to hinder a child receiving a proper education constitutes a form of neglect.
- Physical deprivation. The Child Abuse Prevention Center has stated that physical neglect includes failure to provide any basic need including clothing or food. All children have physical requirements that must be met for them to live healthy lives. When these physical needs are not satisfied, children can end up facing particularly traumatic conditions.
Signs a Child is Suffering from Neglect
Some of the signs that a child is suffering from neglect, include the following:
- Failure to thrive. One of the most common indicators that a child is suffering from neglect is a child’s failure to reach age appropriate height or weight. This category also includes children who fail to master the skills mastered by other individuals of their age.
- Frequent illnesses. Children who are suffering from neglect are frequently sick because they do not receive enough food at home. This negligence can cause children to miss a substantial amount of school and can even result in death in some cases.
- Malnutrition. Children that are malnourished are particularly thin and go out of their way to gather food. It is the responsibility of a parent to provide a child with an adequate amount of nutrition at home.
- Poor hygiene. Dirty hair, skin, or body odor are common signs that a child is not receiving proper care at home.
- Too much time alone. Some children suffering from negligence spend too much time alone and are left unsupervised for great stretches of time.
Speak with an Experienced Family Law Attorney
No matter if you are a parent, grandparent, or guardian, it is important to be aware of the potential signs of child neglect and do whatever possible to make sure that children stay safe. If you believe that neglect is occurring, you should not hesitate to speak with a skilled family law attorney. Contact Vayman & Teitelbaum, P.C. today to schedule an initial case evaluation.