Chronically ill kids more likely to abused

KARLSTAD, Sweden, Feb. 18 (UPI) -- Children with chronic health conditions such as diabetes face an increased risk of physical abuse and witnessing parental violence, researchers in Sweden say.

Lead author Birgitta Svensson at Karlstad University in Sweden analyzed 2,510 questionnaires completed anonymously by children ages 10, 12 and 15 from 44 schools in Sweden.

Almost 25 percent had at least one chronic health condition, including visual, hearing or speech problems; diabetes; mental illness; physical disabilities; allergies; weight issues; epilepsy or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

"Twelve percent of all the children who took part in the survey said they had been physically abused, 7 percent had witnessed intimate partner violence (involving their parents) and 3 percent had experienced both," Svensson says.

"But when we looked at children with chronic illness, the figures were significantly higher for physical abuse and for physical abuse combined with intimate partner violence."

Physical abuse of the chronically sick child ranged from severe shaking, ear boxing and hair pulling by an adult to being severely beaten with a hand or device.

The findings are scheduled to be published in Acta Paediatrica.