NCJ Number
61499
Journal
PEDIATRIC ANNALS Volume: 8 Issue: 5 Dated: (MAY 1979) Pages: 29-30,32-33,36-37,40-42
Date Published
1979
Length
9 pages
Annotation
CHILDREN BORN OF INCESTUOUS PARENTS SUFFER A HIGH DEGREE OF MENTAL RETARDATION AND CONGENITAL DEFECTS AS WELL AS EMOTIONAL TRAUMA.
Abstract
IN 80 PERCENT OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE CASES IN CONNECTICUT, A PARENT OR GUARDIAN WAS RESPONSIBLE. NO SET SYMPTOMS OR COMPLAINTS IS SPECIFIC TO INCEST, AND VICTIMS USUALLY COMPLAIN OF VARIED SYMPTOMS UNRELATED TO THEIR UNDERLYING PROBLEM. SOMATIC SYMPTOMS CAN INCLUDE VAGUE ABDOMINAL PAINS, HEADACHES, FATIGUE, AND DIZZINESS. ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION ARE NOT UNUSUAL. DIAGNOSIS OF INCEST DEPENDS ALMOST ENTIRELY ON HISTORY, WHICH IS BEST ELICITED FROM A PATIENT THROUGH A KIND, TACTFUL, NONJUDGMENTAL APPROACH. CHILDREN OF INCEST SUFFER FROM A HIGH RATE OF INFANT MORTALITY AND LOWERED INTELLIGENCE. IN ADDITION, MANY ARE REARED IN DISORGANIZED, CHAOTIC FAMILIES WITH VARYING DEGREES OF DISTURBANCE. (THE TYPICAL OFFENDER IS AN INEFFECTUAL, NONAGGRESSIVE, DEPENDENT MAN WHO DRINKS HEAVILY, WORKS SPORADICALLY, AND IS PREOCCUPIED WITH SEXUAL MATTERS). BECAUSE INCEST IS ONLY A SYMPTOM OF UNDERLYING FAMILY AND INDIVIDUAL PROBLEMS, PROGNOSIS IS DIFFICULT. VARIABLES THAT MUST BE CONSIDERED ARE RELATEDNESS OF PARTICIPANTS, CHRONOLOGIC AND EMOTIONAL AGE OF THE CHILD, QUALITY OF THE PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP, SPECIFICS OF THE INCESTUOUS ACTIVITY, AND TYPE OF FAMILY. SUGGESTIONS FOR TREATMENT OF THE ABUSED CHILD AND THE FAMILY ARE GIVEN, AND RECONSTITUTION OF THE FAMILY UNIT ON A HEALTHIER BASIS IS RECOMMENDED. TO PREVENT INCEST, PARENTS SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO SET LIMITS ON A CHILD WHO INFRINGES ON THEIR PRIVACY, PARTICULARLY REGARDING SEXUAL MATTERS, AND SENSIBLE RESTRAINTS SHOULD BE EMPLOYED REGARDING PHYSICAL INTIMACY WITH THE CHILD. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS APPENDED. (MJW)