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Handbook of Child Maltreatment pp 169–185Cite as

Child Maltreatment and Disabilities: Increased Risk?

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Part of the book series: Child Maltreatment ((MALT,volume 2))

Abstract

The increased risk for maltreatment in the population of children with special health care needs may be multifactorial. The very existence of a disability or limitation in a child that diminishes his or her ability to communicate, react, and/or meet parental or societal expectations can make some children more vulnerable. The unexpected realization of new parents that a child of theirs may never reach the full potential of their nondisabled peers may be particularly devastating to some. Child maltreatment has diverse medical, developmental, psychosocial, and legal consequences. Child abuse and neglect, along with its synonyms, describe a wide range of situations. Clinicians should be aware that the presence of disabilities in a child could be a risk factor for abuse and neglect and that disabilities can also be the result of child maltreatment.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Texas Children’s Health Plan, Houston, TX, USA

    Angelo P. Giardino M.D., Ph.D., MPH

  2. Academic General Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA

    Angelo P. Giardino M.D., Ph.D., MPH

  3. Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA

    Angelo P. Giardino M.D., Ph.D., MPH & Reena Isaac M.D.

  4. The University of Texas School of Nursing at Houston, Houston, TX, USA

    Eileen R. Giardino Ph.D., RN, FNP-BC, ANP-BC

  5. Department of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA

    Reena Isaac M.D.

Authors
  1. Angelo P. Giardino M.D., Ph.D., MPH
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  2. Eileen R. Giardino Ph.D., RN, FNP-BC, ANP-BC
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  3. Reena Isaac M.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Angelo P. Giardino M.D., Ph.D., MPH .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. College of Arts and Sciences, Schubert Center for Child Studies, Cleveland, Ohio, USA

    Jill E. Korbin

  2. University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA

    Richard D. Krugman

Appendix I

Appendix I

Definitions

Behavior Problem, Child

  • A child’s behavior in the school or community that adversely affects socialization, learning, growth, and moral development. May include adjudicated or nonadjudicated behavior problems. Includes running away from home or a placement.

Disability

  • A child is considered to have a disability if one of more of the following risk factors has been identified: mentally retarded child, emotionally disturbed child, visually impaired child, child is learning disabled, child is physically disabled, child has behavioral problems, or child has some other medical problem. In general, children with such conditions are undercounted as not every child receives a clinical diagnostic assessment.

Emotionally Disturbed

  • A clinically diagnosed condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree: an inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances a general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression or a tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal problems. The diagnosis is based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (the most recent edition of DSM). The term includes schizophrenia and autism. This term can be applied to a child or a caregiver.

Learning Disability

  • A clinically diagnosed disorder in basic psychological processes involved with understanding or using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell or use mathematical calculations. The term includes conditions such as perceptual disability, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia. This term can be applied to a caregiver or a child.

Mental Retardation

  • A clinically diagnosed condition of significantly less-than-average general cognitive and motor functioning existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior that adversely affect socialization and learning. This term can be applied to a caregiver or a child.

Other Medical Condition

  • A medical condition other than mental retardation, visual or hearing impairment, physical disability, or emotionally disturbed, that significantly affects functioning or development or requires special medical care such as chronic illnesses. Includes HIV positive or AIDS diagnoses. This term can be applied to a caregiver or a child.

Physically Disabled

  • A clinically diagnosed physical condition that adversely affects day-to-day motor functioning, such as cerebral palsy, spina bifida, multiple sclerosis, orthopedic impairments, and other physical disabilities. This term can be applied to a caregiver or a child.

Visually or Hearing Impaired

  • A clinically diagnosed condition related to a visual impairment or permanent or fluctuating hearing or speech impairment that may significantly affect functioning or development. This term can be applied to a caregiver or a child.

    USDHHS (2008, 2009, 2010a, b, 2011)

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Giardino, A.P., Giardino, E.R., Isaac, R. (2014). Child Maltreatment and Disabilities: Increased Risk?. In: Korbin, J., Krugman, R. (eds) Handbook of Child Maltreatment. Child Maltreatment, vol 2. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7208-3_9

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