Child Abuse
    Imagine that there is a parent with a child who is always disobedient. They have had quite enough, but are not quite sure what else to do to try to get them to behave. At this point they may be considering spanking as an option, but would anyone ever think about spanking or hitting a child to the point that it leaves blisters, bruises, or lacerations? These are only some of the things that can occur when a child is abused. Other types of child abuse such as verbal abuse, leave different and possibly not as noticeable damages. Even though some people might feel that abusing a child will get their message across to a disobedient child, people should not abuse children, because it can cause health risks, permanent brain damage, and it is often a result of drug or alcohol abusing adults.
    Parents who have been pushed over the edge by a misbehaving child may turn to hitting or yelling at the child, but they may not consider this to be child abuse. People say that “[...] spanking is the only disciplinary tool that works,” but they also may not be aware that, “[...] corporal punishment is legally preserved only for children” (Chigbo). Yes, it's true, “The practice is not permitted against prison or jail inmates, military personnel, or mental patients; nor is it allowed against a spouse, a neighbor, or even a neighbor's dog,” yet it is considered okay to do to children. This is why a million or more children are beaten every year “[...] in the name of "discipline,"” (Block)  and why billions of dollars are invested in child abuse prevention systems that fail. If hitting a child repetitively and leaving bruises or worse to “correct” a child's mistake is legal, we are no better today than we were when slavery was legal. This is why so-called “discipline” can be considered child abuse. This is also why child abuse is so incorrectly defined and ultimately unconsidered.
    People who have suffered from child abuse are at a higher risk of developing health problems. Such problems may include: “[...] alcoholism, depression, eating disorders, heart disease, anger, and other chronic diseases” (“Causes and Effects”). “Hidden Costs In Health Care,” reviewed studies that showed “[...] adults who experienced abuse as children sought medical attention 2 to 2.5 times more often than adults who were not abused as children” (qtd. in “Causes and Effects”). This shows that the more people who are abused at young ages, are more likely to need more medical visits later in their lives. It also means that their are going to be more medical costs for each visit. This shows that those who have suffered child abuse are more likely to suffer from some sort of chronic disease later in their lives.
    Children who have been physically abused are more likely to have physiological and physical damages. “Studies by Straus and others,” have shown an increase in the “likelihood of depression and other psychological problems,” (Block) when a child is physically harmed as a sort of punishment for a wrongdoing. “Physical injuries, including hematomas and broken bones, have resulted from adults hitting children” (Block). These are the types of things that need to stop happening in our communities. Our children shape the next generations. The more abused today's children are, the worse generations to come are going to be. This is why child abuse needs to stop, so that no more physical or emotional damages occur.
    Not all problems caused by child abuse are health risks, some are damages, such as brain damage. Some research projects “[...] show that child abuse and neglect during infancy and early childhood affect early brain development” (qtd. in “Causes and Effects”). When a child suffers from abuse, he or she does not fully or properly develop social or cognitive skills, because their brain is too focused on strengthening the neural pathways between breathing and other necessary actions to survive. By not developing social or cognitive skills, they may not know how to react to people who show them kindness and they may also have a harder time learning. So, child abuse does not only cause physical harm, but it also causes long lasting emotional or mental damages.
    Another mental effect of child abuse is the PTSD disorder. PTSD otherwise known as posttraumatic stress disorder. It is an anxiety disorder that can be caused after “experiencing a terrifying event in which a person is severely physically harmed or was threatened with severe physical harm” (“Causes and Effects”). Symptoms of PTSD vary depending on age, but teens and adults typically have “feelings of agitation and flashbacks and nightmares” (“PTSD in Children”). Other symptoms may include secluding themselves, feeling depressed, drug or alcohol abuse, self harm, and sometimes guilt (“PTSD in Children”). Posttraumatic stress disorder can be caused by child abuse due to the physical harm that is involved. If child abuse continues to happen, soon enough, everyone will become depressed and ultimately dysfunctional.
     Drug and alcohol abusing parents are more likely to abuse their children than non substance abusers. “Children whose parents abuse drugs and alcohol are almost three times likelier to be physically or sexually assaulted and more than four times likelier to be neglected than children of parents who are not substance abusers” (Califano). This goes to prove that when a parent is intoxicated, they are more likely to harm their children whether the child was misbehaving or not. Parents of small children should be supervised by another adult if they are intoxicated to insure their children's safety, not only from themselves, but from other people as well. This is why parents of children should not be under the influence of drugs or alcohol around their children. It just puts the child at a higher risk of suffering from child abuse.
    The abuse of a child can lead to feelings of depression, anxiety, shock, fear and many other things. It can also lead to an increase of medical visits as well as injuries and disorders. So, even though some people may think that child abuse will make a child listen and learn, that does not mean that they should do it, it can cause health issues, brain or emotional damages, and it usually occurs due to someone else's substance abuse. Let's make a change for the better and think of the younger people in our lives before we selfishly think of ourselves. We all know that the happier they are, the happier and healthier everyone's future is going to be.