Documentos de Académico
Documentos de Profesional
Documentos de Cultura
English 2010
Beatty
Evaluation
Matthews 1
Makenzie Matthews
English 2010
Beatty
Evaluation
Matthews 2
caregiver to provide the needs for proper development. These needs include
food, clothing, shelter, supervision of health and safety, and medical care
(Child Welfare Information Gateway 3). However, since states define
maltreatment laws, the definition of neglect differs state by state. Twentyfive states including Utah, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Puerto
Rico, and the Virgin Islands also classify failure to educate as neglect. Nine
states, Arkansas, Mississippi, Iowa, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma,
Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia, and American Samoa define medical
neglect as failing to provide any special medical treatment or mental health
care needed by the child. . . . four other states, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota,
and Montana, define it as the withholding of medical treatment or nutrition
from disabled infants with life-threatening conditions (Child Welfare
Information Gateway 3). By the definition of child abuse and neglect
differing state by state it creates confusion in the law which results in abuse
to occur more often, especially in cases of medical and educational neglect.
Many religions denounce medical treatment and use faith healing as a
replacement. One such religious group is called Church of Christ, Scientist
otherwise known as Christian Scientists who believe in treating diseases
such as leukemia with only prayer through a practitioner. On June 5, 1988,
twelve year old girl Elizabeth Ashley King died of bone cancer. She had been
removed from school for seven months where a tumor had grown to fortytwo inches as it spread its way through her bones and genitals. Her parents
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John and Katherine King were charged with child abuse but were not charged
with manslaughter as the Grand Jury stated Were not prosecuting them to
attack their religion (CRI). In another case, Nancy Brewster developed a
lump on her neck at the age of five a Christian Science practitioner insisted
her illness was an illusion and prayed for her. Nancy never received pain
relievers, was forced to exercise in one-hundred degree weather, was
occasionally beat for not healing, and was not comforted. She died at the
age of seven. At the time of her death, Nancys mother stopped mentioning
her and did not even hold a funeral. She later became a practitioner and
never faced charges of any kind (Children's Healthcare Is a Legal Duty, Inc.).
Church of Christ, Science practitioners receive just two weeks of religious
instruction and are often covered by insurance companies (Bottoms).
A large number of faiths practice genital alteration at birth or
adolescence. While there is no benefit for genital alteration in either men or
women, the procedures injure female genital organs for no medical purpose
and are usually performed before the age of fifteen (World Health
Organization). Female genital mutilation has four major types including
clitoridectomy being either the complete or partial removal of the clitoris,
excision or removal of at least a portion of both the clitoris and the labia
minora but not the labia majora, infibulation which is the surgical narrowing
of the vaginal opening by repositioning either or both labia possibly removing
the clitoris in the process, or any other harmful procedure to the genitals.
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This can also include pricking, piercing, incising, scraping and cauterizing the
genital area for no medical purpose (World Health Organization). Common
procedures that occur in some animist societies and the Muslim faith include
clitoridectomy, excision, and infibulation in attempt to dull her sexual
instincts (Hitchens 223). Female genital mutilation holds many risks including
severe bleeding, difficulty urinating, higher risk of cysts, infections, infertility,
and causing complications in childbirth (World Health Organization). While
genital mutilation is more obviously physical and sexual abuse, the practice
fails to account for the welfare of the children involved, showing that it is
also neglect. Since there is no medical value for genital mutilation in neither
gender as well as being damaging to healthy development in women and a
high number of religions including genital mutilation as a practice, many
children are put at risk.
As stated earlier, failure to provide acceptable healthcare and safety is
recognized as neglect. Vaccinations have been proven to decrease the
spread of disease. Polio and Diphtheria have been eradicated from the
United States due to vaccines (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
However, the percentage of children receiving vaccinations for deadly
diseases is decreasing. Between 2008 and 2009 the percentage of two year
olds vaccinated for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis went from 92% to
90.6% (Online Masters in Public Health). Particularly pertussis, more
commonly known as whooping cough, can cause children under the age of
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Works Cited
Bottoms, Bette L. "In the Name of God: A Profile of Religion-Related Child
Abuse." Journal of Social Issues 51.2 (1995): 85-111. Web. 4 March
2015.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2015. Web. 9 March 2015.
"Child Abuse & Neglect Deaths in America." July 2012. Every Child Matters
Education Fund. Web. 9 March 2015.
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