Inside The Mind Of An Abused Child

This is the case of a 6 year old female patient who was rushed to the ER due to a gaping wound in the head. Her massively bleeding injury was inflicted by her own mother. Such abuse was not the first time, for it has been years of torture at the very hands of her own flesh and blood.

It was late morning when a young girl was accompanied by a barangay captain to the ER. The child's head was wrapped around with a Good Morning towel. The bimpo was soaked in crimson blood.

"Pakitingnan po, hinataw kasi ng itak ng sarili nyang ina," the barangay official revealed.

"Grabe talaga ina nito! Di na naawa sa anak nya. Di na nadala... hinuli na dati yun sa pang-mamaltrato nya," he added.

Upon examination, a 2.5 inch deep lacerated wound was noted on the skull's occipital region. It was bleeding profusely. Hematomas possibly from whipping were also seen on both her upper ad lower extremities. Suturing was immediately done. The young girl was a brave one. Despite every deep penetration of the surgical needle, she did not act like a cry baby. Afterwards, she recieved her tetanus shots. While the patient was being subjected to a skull xray, the barangay official left the hospital to refer the patient to their local DSWD. It was a sigh of relief when the xray revealed no skull fracture.

A few hours have passed and the patient was still all by her lonesome at the ER. It was past lunch time so I bought her a lunch from the carinderia. While feeding, I curiously asked the poor girl what happened. Apparently, the child was beaten down by a walis tambo by her irked mother after she accidentally spilled the coffee she was drinking. The child's incessant crying all the more made the mother snapped. She then struck an itak against her daughter's skull. This resulted to a nasty cut that bled heavily. The ghastly sight of which terrified the mother, leaving her hapless daughter to escape prosecution. The neighbors were the ones who bought the girl to the barangay hall, thus, this consult.

"Madalas ka bang saktan ng nanay mo?" I questioned the patient.

"Opo," she hesitantly answered.

"Anu-anong mga ginagawa sa yong pananakit?" I further investigated.

"Madalas po nikakakandado. Pinapaso... binubuhusan po ng kape. Di pinapakain. Nisasampal... binubugbog. Hinahataw ng walis.” the teary eyed child revealed.

Those were some of the young girl's shocking revelations. True enough, her body showed evidences of scars from years of torture and punishment.

Straight from the book of Boy Abunda and his imaginary mirror, I directed the overused cheesy showbiz talk show question to the patient, "Kung andyan ang nanay mo sa harap mo ngayon, anong mensahe mo para sa kanya?"

"Wala po," she softly responded.

"Gusto mo ba syang makulong sa ginawa nya sa yo?" I followed up.

"Di po. Nanay ko po sya. Mahal ko pa rin po sya, " she replied as she shed tears from her eyes.

There is nothing I despise more in this world than abuse against children. Whether physical or sexual, it would always leave a lifetime emotional scar on these young victims, all the more if such abuse was caused by the very people who should love and take care of them. For the un-motherly beastly demeanor, it's so surreal how the child never let herself be consumed by hatred. She learned how to forgive her mother in an instant despite the suffering she was inflicted upon. Perhaps, it's what we were told in the Bible. Be forgiving. Be child-like. And whoever humbles himself like a little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.