Training sessions offer tips for detecting child abuse

People cannot always prevent child abuse, but they can help end it and maybe even prevent a child's death.

At Southeast Missouri State University on Thursday, Leasa Stone spoke at five two-hour training sessions titled "A Guide For Mandated Reporters: Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse." She drew on her 15 years as a nurse practitioner to tell students and professionals how to recognize child abuse, who to report it to and how to be sensitive to the child.

"If you suspect child abuse, then call it in, because you'd rather be wrong and call it in than be right and not call it in," said Stone, who belongs to the Green Bear Organization that works with abused children.

She cited an example where a nurse noticed dime-sized bruises on a baby's back. The nurse accepted the mother's explanation that they were caused by a new car seat. A few days later, the baby died from "shaken baby syndrome," caused when the father grabbed the infant and shook him hard enough to cause death. The bruises were caused when the father's fingers dug into the baby's back.

Required to report abuse

Under Missouri's Revised Statutes, Chapter 210, mandated reporters are adults who work with children and families, whether teachers, social workers, administrators, child and family practitioners, medical professionals, law enforcement, day-care workers or clergy and church staff.

Mandated reporters are required under law to report evidence of child abuse. Failure to report is a Class A misdemeanor which carries up to a $1,000 fine or one year in jail. Filing a false report is also a Class A misdemeanor.

Physical abuse and neglect are the easiest to detect and prove, Stone said. Excessive bruising and undernourishment are two signals. Sexual and emotional abuse are the two hardest to detect and prove, she said. With sexual abuse, most abusers leave little physical evidence, and most children say nothing about the abuse. Emotional abuse is the least common.

Mandated reporters' names are confidential whenever abuse is reported.

Amy Blackman, director of the University Child Enrichment Center, attended an afternoon session. She has taught pre-school for 10 years, and has reported some cases of child abuse.

From the training session, Blackman learned to ask four open-ended questions, she said -- what happened, who did this, where and when did this happen.

Stone said that these questions can help determine the cause of a black eye, whether a father struck his child when he got excited over a touchdown or whether a father got drunk, angry and violent. The questions also prevent conflicting stories when too many people ask detailed questions.

Reporting abuse directly to a Children's Advocacy Center is another way to prevent conflicting stories, Stone said. For example, if a teacher does not report it to a hot-line or CAC, the child may end up telling nine different stories to school staff, community workers and relatives.

Overall, mandated reporters should ask themselves one thing when they ask a child about an unusual or frequent physical problem.

"Does the picture fit the story?" Stone said.

jmetelski@semissourian.com