By Dr. Deb Crawford, Board Member.
“Abigail” is a sweet 10-year-old girl who began exhibiting concerning behavior changes at home. She finally disclosed to her mother that a family member had been sexually abusing her and threatening her if she told anyone. Abigail is cognitively delayed, functioning at the level of a 7-year-old. She thought it was her fault and that she would be in trouble and punished by her perpetrator if she told anyone what happened to her.
Once Abigail knew she was safe, she participated in a forensic interview at the Child Advocacy Center where the interviewer was able to patiently let her tell her story on her own developmental level, at her own pace. During that time, the family advocate was able to get to know Abigail’s mother and offer a variety of supports and services. One of the referral services for Abigail was a medical exam with Dr. Crawford.
The family had fallen on hard times and had not accessed medical care for the children for several years. Abigail was at first afraid of having a checkup, but again, in a child-friendly setting and with ample time to make her feel comfortable, her visit went smoothly. As promised, she was not hurt during her doctor’s visit.
Abigail was able to articulate a little more information about what happened to her, in the context of a routine discussion about the expected changes of puberty. The appointment also provided an opportunity to address her issues with weight gain, dental problems, and a previously undiagnosed serious medical condition that runs in the family and had been causing her significant pain and disability. Because of the CAC, Abigail finally had access to much needed specialized medical care to begin her path to physical, emotional, and psychological healing.
