Some Tips on How to Protect your Child - Pandora's Aquarium
Some Tips on How to Protect your Child - Pandora's Aquarium
Some Tips on How to Protect your Child - Pandora's Aquarium
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- Being "<strong>to</strong>o perfect" and <strong>to</strong>o well behaved; quiet; desperate <strong>to</strong> please; over-achieving.- Radical mood swings.- Being evasive when asked questi<strong>on</strong>s, or having memory loss.• Health Issues:- A change in eating habits i.e. eating <strong>to</strong>o much / <strong>to</strong>o little; purging; becoming a fussy eater.- Inc<strong>on</strong>tinence.- Self-destructive behavior i.e. head-banging, self harm, alcohol use, drugs, genital mutilati<strong>on</strong>.- Genital discomfort, bleeding, irritati<strong>on</strong>, redness, thrush, itching, discharge, odour.- Persistent urinary tract infecti<strong>on</strong>s.- General ill-health complaints i.e. chr<strong>on</strong>ic headache, s<strong>to</strong>mach cramps, sore throat etc.- Depressi<strong>on</strong> / anxiety / suicidal ideati<strong>on</strong>.• Inappropriate sexual development / behavior:- Excessive genital <strong>to</strong>uching or masturbating in public.- N<strong>on</strong>-age appropriate language i.e sexually graphic.- Being sexually precocious and sexually suggestive.- Hides sec<strong>on</strong>dary sexual characteristics i.e. covers up, wears baggy clothes, straps breasts.- Attempts <strong>to</strong> be unattractive i.e. s<strong>to</strong>ps wearing make-up, s<strong>to</strong>ps washing, puts <strong>on</strong> weight.- Fear of undressing or refusal <strong>to</strong> undress in gym class- Initiate inappropriate sexual c<strong>on</strong>tact with other children.What should I do if I suspect?As hard as it may be, try <strong>to</strong> stay calm. <strong>Child</strong>ren look <strong>to</strong> their parents <strong>to</strong> know what <strong>to</strong> do, and if they seeyou freaking out, this is likely <strong>to</strong> increase their fear and uncertainty also.IF you suspect - no matter how vague <strong>your</strong> suspici<strong>on</strong> - GET HELP! D<strong>on</strong>'t try <strong>to</strong> deal with this all by<strong>your</strong>self because dealing with this in secrecy <strong>on</strong>ly exacerbates feelings of shame in <strong>your</strong> child. Of course,treat it with the sensitivity it deserves, but involve the experts right from the start.• REPORT IT:The first step, even before you talk <strong>to</strong> <strong>your</strong> child, is <strong>to</strong> report <strong>your</strong> suspici<strong>on</strong>s <strong>to</strong> <strong>your</strong> local childprotecti<strong>on</strong> team - and let them investigate it. Of course <strong>your</strong> instinct may be <strong>to</strong> try <strong>to</strong> talk <strong>to</strong> <strong>your</strong> child<strong>your</strong>self and get an admissi<strong>on</strong> from them - but in doing this you run the risk of eliciting aunsubstantiated disclosure which could make prosecuti<strong>on</strong> impossible. Furthermore, many children maybe especially fearful of making the initial disclosure <strong>to</strong> a parent for fear of upsetting you, or making youangry, or disappointing you, and so they may be more likely <strong>to</strong> disclose <strong>to</strong> a professi<strong>on</strong>al. Your job at thistime is <strong>to</strong> be the loving parent....letting them know that you still love them, that they are special, thatyou're not angry etc.