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| Penn State: It Can Teach Us Much! |
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by David Mittman, PA, DFAAPA - November 21, 2011
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 Provided by Clinician 1
The recent happenings at Penn State made me sit down and think. Not just about the pedophilia that one of their now retired coaches is accused of doing but the whole issue of how vulnerable children are. And also thinking of how we need to have conversations with each other and our children about the types of people we chose to leave our children with. I know we all do this at some level, but not to the extent we should.
Whether in pediatrics, family practice or in other specialties, many of us see children all of the time. We also see parents interacting with their children and we need to use those instances to teach both the parents and the children that sometimes adults might do things that should make us all worry. Maybe it is time to ask the children if any adults are yelling at them too loudly, or if they feel adults they know get too angry? Gracefully let them know that if they ever feel threatened by an adult for any reason they need to tell their parents or another adult. If engaged in sports, we should ask if they ever feel threatened by the actions of the coach. If in scouts, the scoutmaster? If in karate, their sensei. If in competitive sports, do feel that there is too much pressure to win. Do they ever feel that they could get hurt because the coach asks them to do something dangerous. Make parents aware that they need to have the conversation with their children that anyone, even someone in authority, touching their body is wrong and they have to say no! Maybe it is time to have a conversation with parents about paying attention to changes in their children’s behavior. At 6, or 8, or 11 mood changes are not normal. Usually they signal something is amiss. Sometimes even more than that.
I am not saying become a detective nor am I advocating trying to find things that are not there. I also believe that we need to let kids be kids. What I am saying is that if Penn State taught me anything, it taught me that the unspeakable must become speakable. That people may look away at the coach who crosses the line or the teacher who touches in the wrong places. We have to let them know that yelling is not normal, that even threatening to hit a child is not normal. To tell us when you feel something is not right. Parents need to know if an adult’s behavior scares the children, it should raise a red flag and scare us/them also. As NPs and PAs we are in a great position to start the conversation.
Dave has been a PA, and later NP, leader for thirty years. He strongly believes that NPs and PAs must work together to insure a better future for both professions. Most recently Dave has been busy launching another dream; Clinician 1, the first internet community for PAs and NPs. In October 2008, Dave was honored by the New Jersey State society of PAs with its “Lifetime Achievement Award”.
The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
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| Duke (Switzerland) |
on 22 Nov 2011 at 5:31 pm |
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| Dave: As a victime of similar abuse more than 40 years ago, I hear you. What the Penn State situation teaches us is that these crimes can happen under the supervision of priests, teachers, coaches, scout leaders and our neighbors. It is helpful to remind ourselves that we can only keep our children safe by being there. Join with other parents to be at every practice, game, outing or activity that your children participate in. The damage done in the absence of parental supervision can last a lifetime. |
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