Information the first need in preventing child abuse

I entered the city children's hospital for my twilight shift in the pediatric emergency department. The shift started at 6 p.m. and ended at 3 a.m., part of a complex schedule that assured that fresh reinforcements were always on their way to help with new patients as the original team of residents wrapped up the cases that had arrived hours earlier.

Stable patients who arrived just before 6 p.m. were "saved" for evaluation and care by the entering pediatric resident. I knew that several times each week I could expect to start my duties by being handed a chart of a child brought in by police as a suspected case of child abuse. These cases were always horrifying and depressing as I wondered who could do such things to a child in their care.

My first patient that particular evening was a cute little 2-year-old with vaginal discharge. Her specimen swab came back positive for gonorrhea. While I didn't have access to all the facts, given the age of the patient, the diagnosis was certainly not in question. I contacted the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services to report this obvious case of child sexual abuse for further investigation.

Child abuse and child sexual abuse are widespread, and numerous studies show that abusive behavior wby adults against children is not limited by geography, education level or income.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 14 percent of children in the United States are victims of child abuse. Of these kids, 75 percent experience emotional abuse, 48 percent are physically abused, 22 percent are neglected by caregivers, and 8 percent suffer sexual abuse.

Girls are at somewhat higher risk for abuse than boys (52 percent to 48 percent), and the overwhelming majority of deaths due to child maltreatment are found to occur in the youngest age group - children under 4. Adults who carry out instances of child abuse tend to be one of the victim's parents, with women acting as perpetrators more often than men (58 percent to 42 percent).

If you believe a child has been abused by a caretaker, or if you suspect that a child is at great risk of such physical harm, DCFS urges members of the general public to call the Illinois Child Abuse Hotline at (800) 25-ABUSE. Callers are protected by Illinois law and do have the option of reporting anonymously. Individuals who are legally mandated to report suspected cases of child abuse include medical professionals, school and child-care personnel, and law enforcement officers, among others.

A vast array of local and national organizations offer support and education for parents in an effort to stop child abuse before it happens. One such lifeline is the Childhelp National Abuse Hotline, which provides abuse prevention information, crisis counseling and help in facilitating reporting efforts. The hotline can be accessed 24 hours a day, with assistance offered in 140 languages by calling (800) 4-A-CHILD.

For those with computer access, the national organization Prevent Child Abuse America has put together a user-friendly Web site (preventchildabuse.org) with a variety of educational and support materials for parents, children, community activists and other interested parties. Topics such as "Teaching Children Discipline" and "12 Alternatives to Lashing Out at Your Child" are discussed along with many other parenting tips.

Northwest suburban parents finding themselves stressed, at risk and in need of help can reach out to the Arlington Heights-based organization Shelter, Inc., which offers home visits and parenting education for first-time parents through its Healthy Families program. Numerous community volunteer opportunities are also available by calling Shelter, Inc. at (847) 255-8060.

• Dr. Helen Minciotti is a mother of five and a pediatrician with a practice in Schaumburg. She formerly chaired the Department of Pediatrics at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights.