special report
Care for OUR CHILDREN
01 Abused Children:
The Role of OMS
By Jesús Manuel Muñoz Caro
Attending Staff, Department Oral Maxillofacial Surgery, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid
A
sk yourself two questions: In your professional career have you come across cases where you have been suspicious of child abuse? If you did, did you inform the concerned authorities? Think twice, because as Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons you may have been exposed to some cases of the worst form of violence against children. VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN IS A GLOBAL challenge with confirmed 41,000 deaths per year of children under 15. There is a reality that the actual numbers may be higher because of under-reporting or incorrect classification of the cause of demise. Approximately 20% of women and 5-10% of men report having been sexually abused as children. Additionally, data from developed countries suggest that physical ill-treatment of children is reported in figures as high as 25-50%. In the United States alone, more than 2,000 deaths per year are reported. The WHO definition of abuse includes all forms of physical and emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect and exploitation that result in actual or potential harm to the child’s health, development or dignity. Five subtypes can be distinguished: physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect and negligent treatment, emotional abuse and exploitation. Its consequences 10 iaoms.org
October 2016