BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) – Every year, since 1983, a number of U.S. organizations have been observing National Child Abuse Prevention Month. They do so in hopes of motivating people and communities to take action and stop child abuse.
Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital participates in the annual observance. But hospital representatives say their concern for children is not limited to one month out of the year.
“Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital encourages everyone to join in supporting and advocating for the health and well-being of all children 365 days a year,” hospital officials said in an April 5 news release.
How doctors help children every day
The release highlighted the efforts of Dr. Rebecca Hook, an OLOL pediatric emergency physician.
OLOL says Hook frequently works with children who’ve endured traumatic situations. To ensure such children receive the best care possible, Hook must collaborate with local agencies that specialize in helping youths who’ve experienced trauma.
Hook said, “Our Lady of the Lake is committed to combating child abuse and neglect that affects millions of children each year. We work every day with valued community partners to ensure the wellbeing of children in our community.”
What is ‘Pinwheels for Prevention’?
This year, OLOL demonstrated its support of Child Abuse Prevention Month by joining the nationwide Pinwheels for Prevention campaign. The campaign was created to help people understand what they can do to be a positive force in a child’s life.
It encourages people to:
- Learn what young children need to be healthy both emotionally and physically
- Understand what “good parenting” looks like.
- Actively support local children and families who need help.
The campaign uses blue and silver pinwheels as a symbol of the happy and healthy childhoods all young ones deserve, according to OLOL. The hospital said blue was selected as the color that’s meant to bring awareness to child abuse prevention.
What the pinwheel symbolizes
Pinwheels are symbolic in that they represent childlike whimsy and lightheartedness. Pinwheels for Prevention’s website says they stand for “our vision for a world where all children grow up happy, healthy, and prepared to succeed in supportive families and communities.”
In addition to participating in Pinwheels for Prevention during April, OLOL also partnered with Child Advocacy Services for an April 5 recognition event.
CAS steps in to quickly help capital area children who’ve been impacted by traumatic situations.
How you can help
As OLOL and agencies like CAS use April to highlight the need to protect children from abuse, there are ways that everyone can help.
For one, if you suspect that a child has been abused or neglected, you can call the Louisiana Child Abuse Hotline at (1-855-452-5437) or the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child.
You can also click here to learn more about child abuse prevention from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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