Neglect is a special problem among younger children.
Data suggest that children age 0-3 make up over half of all reported victims
of medical neglect, and a third of all victims of other types of neglect.
Such incidences of neglect may be more "invisible" for pre-school aged
children than for older children since they need not come in contact with
educators and medical professionals, who are best equipped to identify
and report maltreatment.
Neglect in these early years of life has serious
consequences as pre-school children who have been neglected experience
delays in language development and have lower IQ scores. Even mild or moderate
levels of neglect, that do not rise to the level of being legally reportable,
can have adverse consequences for pre-school children.
References:
Understanding Child Abuse and Neglect
National Research Council
Panel on Research on Child Abuse and Neglect
National Academy Press, Washington, D.C. 1993
Neglected Children: Research, Practice, and Policy
Howard Dubowitz, Editor
Sage Publications, London 1999
