More Than 90,000 U.S. Infants Are Victims of Abuse or Neglect

More Than 90,000 U.S. Infants Are Victims of Abuse or Neglect
Effects of maltreatment can damage a child for a lifetime, researchers say
By Steven Reinberg Posted 4/3/08THURSDAY, April 3 (HealthDay News) --

An estimated 91,000 babies in the United States were victims of maltreatment in 2006 during their first year of life, including 29,181 infants who suffered abuse or neglect during their first week of life, -Most maltreatment of infants less than a week old was the result of neglect. Neglect accounted for 68.5 percent of the reported cases. A smaller number of infants -- 13.2 percent -- were victims of physical abuse by a parent or caregiver that resulted in injury during the first week of life, she said. Almost 40 percent of the infants were abused or neglected during their first month after birth....

• "Family planning and education in the schools about parenting and delaying having children until people are a little bit older are the things that probably would have the most dramatic impact on reducing the incidence of abuse and neglect," Runyan added.
  More information For more on child abuse and neglect, visit the U.S. Administration for Children and Families.