CHILD NEGLECT

Poor hygiene is a very good indicator of neglect. The thing to remember about neglect is the home is usually a place where there are few rules or structure. Children eat what they find, fall asleep where they are, when they get tired, and wear whatever they pick up or already have on from the day before. So the chances that someone in the house is busy teaching the child about washing their hands, cleaning their teeth, and bathing regularly are pretty slim.

Remember we talked about how many times a baby received emotional support and encouragement in the first two years of life? Well the same can be said here about hygiene rules. How many times do Parents, without even thinking, give their children guidance in good hygiene? It starts when they are babies – they become accustomed to clean nappies and daily baths. Then, as they grow older there’s the constant stream of advice – “wash your hands”, “wipe your feet”, “don’t touch that”, “don’t put that in your mouth – don’t eat that!”, “get your finger out of your nose”, “take off that dirty shirt”, “brush your teeth”, “get in the bath” and so on.

A child who doesn’t experience that over a period of time will usually stand out amongst other children in a day care situation – and not just because they are wearing dirty clothes, or constantly arriving in dirty nappies.

There are many ways you will notice poor hygiene – including taking note of a child’s appearance, their smell, and their hygiene habits.