Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Acknowledgements
- 1 Introduction
- Section I Information problems
- Section II End of life care
- Section III Pregnant women and children
- Introduction
- 14 Ethical dilemmas in the care of pregnant women: rethinking “maternal–fetal conflicts”
- 15 Prenatal testing and newborn screening
- 16 Assisted reproduction
- 17 Respectful involvement of children in medical decision making
- 18 Non-therapeutic pediatric interventions
- 19 Child abuse and neglect
- Section IV Genetics and biotechnology
- Section V Research ethics
- Section VI Health systems and institutions
- Section VII Using clinical ethics to make an impact in healthcare
- Section VIII Global health ethics
- Section IX Religious and cultural perspectives in bioethics
- Section X Specialty bioethics
- Index
- References
19 - Child abuse and neglect
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 30 October 2009
Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Acknowledgements
- 1 Introduction
- Section I Information problems
- Section II End of life care
- Section III Pregnant women and children
- Introduction
- 14 Ethical dilemmas in the care of pregnant women: rethinking “maternal–fetal conflicts”
- 15 Prenatal testing and newborn screening
- 16 Assisted reproduction
- 17 Respectful involvement of children in medical decision making
- 18 Non-therapeutic pediatric interventions
- 19 Child abuse and neglect
- Section IV Genetics and biotechnology
- Section V Research ethics
- Section VI Health systems and institutions
- Section VII Using clinical ethics to make an impact in healthcare
- Section VIII Global health ethics
- Section IX Religious and cultural perspectives in bioethics
- Section X Specialty bioethics
- Index
- References
Summary
A six-year-old girl and her older sister are brought by their father to be evaluated for a history of cough, runny nose, and low-grade fever. In addition to signs of a cold, the physician notes that the girl's nasal bridge is quite swollen and bruised. When asked what happened, she innocently shrugs her shoulders, and her father's only conjecture is that since she sleepwalks she might have bumped into something. The father sits impatiently, but as questioning progresses becomes increasingly defensive, at one point angrily declaring “we don't beat our kids, if that's what you're asking.” Further complicating the situation is information from several nurses that this family is “on the brink” both socially and financially, and that additional stress is likely “to blow this family apart.”
What is child abuse and neglect?
The term child abuse encompasses physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse, and neglect –though the phrase “child abuse and neglect” is also common parlance. In its typical usage, child abuse refers to actions (or failures to act) by a parent or caregiver that result in serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation, or imminent risk of serious harm.
Why are ethical issues regarding child abuse and neglect important?
What could be more simple than the ethics of child abuse? For those who commit it, don't. For everyone else, do what you can to protect children from it.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Cambridge Textbook of Bioethics , pp. 132 - 140Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2008
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