>>JENNIFER WAUGH: THIS MORNING, WE CONTINUE OUR SERIES OF REPORTS HELPING YOU
PROTECT YOUR BABY. YESTERDAY
WE EXPLAINED HOW TO REDUCE THE
RISK OF SUDDEN INFANT DEATH
SYNDROME. AND TUESDAY, WE
DISCUSS THE DANGERS OF
SLEEPING IN THE SAME BED AS
YOUR CHILD. NOW WE WANT TO
HELP YOU BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW
TO RECOGNIZE YOUR BABY IS AT
RISK OF CHILD ABUSE. THAT
DOCTOR RACHEL THOMAS IS AN
ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED
NURSE WHO WORKS TO DIAGNOSE
CHILD ABUSE AND LOCAL
CHILDREN. SHE’S JOINING US
LIVE VIA ZOOM THIS MORNING.
GOOD MORNING. THANKS FOR BEING
WITH US. GOOD MORNING. FIRST,
WOULD YOU EXPLAIN THE KIND OF
INJURIES THAT YOU HAVE SEEN TO
BABIES IN OUR COMMUNITY IS THE
RESULT OF CHILD ABUSE.
>> YES, SEEN THE FULL GAMUT OF
INJURIES RANGING FROM MY IOTA,
MODERATE ALL THE WAY TO
SEVERE. AND UNFORTUNATELY,
SOME CHILDREN HAVE KILLED FROM
CHILD ABUSE. IT’S THAT HAPPENS
IN JUST A BLINK OF THE MOMENT.
USUALLY HAPPENS VERY IT
ACTUALLY RISEN LEEDS AND
BRUISES, WHICH IS JUST
HEARTBREAKING. SO WHAT YOU’RE
SEEING IT IS IS TYPICALLY
WOULD YOU DESCRIBE KIND OF IN
A FIT OF RAGE AND NOT
NECESSARILY.
>>LAUREN VERNO: ON PURPOSE.
YES, THAT IS THE SITUATION.
THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME.
DURING INVESTIGATIONS.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE TELL US WHAT
THEY DID AND SOMETIMES THEY
DON’T. AND WE INVESTIGATE AND
FIND OUT WHATEVER HAPPENED
HAPPENED USED VERY QUICKLY.
THE
MOMENT WHEN THERE’S ESCALATING EMOTION, ANXIETY. >> OR ANGER AND THINK IT’S
DIRECTED. UNFORTUNATELY,
TORMENT OF CHILD.
>>JENNIFER WAUGH: YEAH. AND
IT’S INTERESTING, TOO, BECAUSE
I MEAN, LOOK, WE’RE PARENTS,
YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT IT CAN
BE VERY STRESSFUL WHEN YOU’RE
RAISING CHILDREN, BABIES AND
SOMETIMES BABIES ARE CALI KEY
AND THEY JUST DON’T STOP
CRYING. SO I THINK WHAT’S
IMPORTANT FOR THOSE OF OUR
VIEWERS WHO ARE WATCHING YOU
HAVE A LOVED ONE WHO HAS, YOU
KNOW, A NEWBORN. THERE ARE
SOME RISK FACTORS THAT YOU
HAVE FOUND OVER THE YEARS IN
DOING THIS. THAT MAY HAPPEN TO
A FAMILY. WHAT ARE THOSE
FACTORS?
>> WELL, WE SEE MORE.
>> PREDISPOSITION TO CHOP
PHYSICAL ABUSE AND NEGLECT
AMONG FAMILIES WHERE THERE’S
LIMITED RESOURCES, LIMITED
SOCIAL SOCIAL SUPPORT IS A BIG
ONE. SO SINGLE PARENT HOMES
TEND TO HAVE MORE OF A RISK
FOR CHILD PHYSICAL ABUSE AND
NEGLECT WHEN CHILDREN HAVE LOW
COMMUNITY DISABILITY, YOU
KNOW, REALLY YOUNG CHILDREN
THAT ARE IN SCHOOL, GET
MULTIPLE YOUNG CHILDREN IN ONE
HOLE THINGS CAN EASILY GET
OVERWHELMING BABIES THAT ARE
YET IN DAY CARE. THOSE ARE
SOME OF COMMON CHARACTERISTIC,
SOME CASES OF CHILD PHYSICAL
ABUSE AND NEGLECT THAT I’VE
SEEN THAT. AND I’D LIKE TO ADD
MAYBE A BABYSITTER WHO HAS NO
BIOLOGICAL RELATION TO THE
BABY. SO THEY DON’T HAVE THAT
KIND OF JUST AN YOU CARE OR
LOVE FOR THAT CHILD.
>> SO MANY TIMES THIS HAPPENS
BECAUSE THE BABY IS CRYING. AS
I MENTIONED IN THE PAIR BABY.
SHE JUST CAN’T MAKE IT STOP.
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO HANDLE
THAT?
>> WELL, I THINK FOR THE
PARENT TO BE SELF-AWARE IS THE
MOST IMPORTANT WHEN YOU FEEL
LIKE YOU’RE IN JUST WHEN YOU
FEEL LIKE YOU’RE RUSHING
AROUND WHEN YOU WHEN YOU’RE
GETTING ANGRY OR AGITATED. THE
THING THAT I TELL PEOPLE MOST
OFTEN IS THE VERY YOUNG BABY
IS SAFE IN THEIR CRIB. AS LONG
AS YOU AND YOU KNOW, CHECK
THAT AND MAKE SURE THEY’RE FED
IN THEIR DIAPERS. YOU CHANGED
IN THEIR COMFORTABLE, PUT HIM
DOWN IN THE CRIB OR IF YOU’RE
FEELING LIKE YOUR EMOTIONS ARE
ESCALATING, JUST WALK AWAY.
DOWN IN A SAFE PLACE ON THEIR
BACK, WALK AWAY. IT’S VERY
HELPFUL TO HAVE A CHANGE OF
YOU KNOW, GO OUTSIDE, GET SOME
FRESH AIR SOMETIMES IF YOU
HAVE TO BE WITH YOU, YOU CAN
TAKE THE BABY OUTSIDE FOR A
STROLL. I’M DOING THINGS TO
DE-ESCALATE IS REALLY BABIES
ARE ALSO SUED BY SWAYING ARE
ROCKING AND SOMETIMES JUST
ASKING FOR HELP. IF YOU FEEL
LIKE YOU’RE AT YOUR LIMIT AND
YOU’RE GETTING REALLY
FRUSTRATED, WHICH IS
COMPLETELY UNDERSTANDABLE IS
NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED ASK FOR
HELP.