LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Other type of child abuse needs focus

5/25/2014

Your April 30 editorial “Prevent child abuse” was spot on in emphasizing the need for responsible parenting and community intervention to prevent child abuse. People must support efforts by local agencies and individuals to protect our children.

Ohio lawmakers should define medical child abuse as a form of child maltreatment, the same as sexual, physical, and emotional abuse and neglect. Medical child abuse should be prosecuted in the same manner as other crimes against children.

We must not include Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a type of abuse in which a caregiver induces or falsifies symptoms of a disease or illness in a child. With that, as much consideration is given to the perpetrator as to the victim.

The concern needs to be directly and only for the child, not for why the perpetrator is medically abusing the child. Concern for the perpetrator can be expressed by law enforcement and mental health professionals.

Because medical professionals are required to report suspected child abuse, mandatory training to spot medical child abuse detection should be a given.

PAMELA CRABTREE

Springfield Township

Editor’s note: The writer is founder and president of Yell & Tell: Stop Child Abuse Now Inc., a nonprofit agency that seeks to prevent child abuse through education.

 

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Race has no place in Obama criticism

It seems that until recently, columnists and other political pundits have been reluctant to state flatly that what is driving the vitriol against President Obama is racial hatred (“Racial prejudice is not back; it never left,” op-ed column, May 3).

Such virulence is reserved not just for the President, but also for almost any idea or legislation he has proposed. The recent comments of Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling and Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy focus attention on the racist poison that remains in the hearts and minds of many people.

I can remember similar hatred directed toward another president. John F. Kennedy was bitterly opposed by many conservatives simply because he was Roman Catholic, a denomination lumped with blacks and Jews in the views of white supremacist groups.

It’s politically healthy to debate the beliefs of conservatives and liberals. But rejecting ideas based only on who holds them — especially if such rejection is racist — is small-minded and counterproductive.

DONALD CARR

Sylvania