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Master O.C was presented to a church clinic in Nigeria with evidence of first degree burns on several parts of the face and upper limbs. Closer examinations show several other injuries at bony prominences at various stages of healing. During clerking, the ‘mother’ claimed that the child failed down on hot pressing iron and was subsequently injured – however the injuries and their locations did not agree with this theory of causation. The teachers in the same church who came to report the incident informed the attending physician that the children (the affected and his elder brother) claimed that the injury was deliberated inflicted on the child by the grandmother. The children claimed that the child was beaten by the grandmother with a hot pressing iron. In addition, they also informed the physician that the children were very heady and difficult to control even in church, and punishment meant nothing to them. Although the woman who brought the child to church claimed initially that she was the biological mother, further questioning revealed that she was actually a grandmother to the child. Further questioning of the ‘mother’ now ‘grandmother’ revealed that the injury occurred while she was beating the child for corrective purposes. Over the years, ACASA has seen several shades of the same problem. This child is a classical victim of what Anti Child Abuse Society of Africa (ACASA) classified as Grandmother Syndrome in her book, “The Concept of Child Abuse.” In the book, Grandmother Syndrome (GS) describes a condition where children are deliberately or otherwise kept under the care of their paternal or maternal grandmothers which result in a number of child abusive acts. With the advent of HIV and AIDS and its demographic consequences, the prevalence of GS is becoming epidemic especially in HIV endemic regions of sub-Saharan Africa. Thus again, directly or otherwise making children the major victim of this socio-economic disaster. A lot has been said about child headed homes and most funding agencies are funding programs involving children in child headed homes. Also income generating activities are being conducted for HIV positive mothers to help strengthen their economic base for a healthier family life. Little however has been said or done for children suffering from GS, a situation that is very common in several states of Nigeria and east African nations. As we propagate community based Orphans and Vulnerable Children activities, the inherent dangers children face with grandmothers must be researched into and best practices documented and shared. Now is the right time to face this forth coming challenge, before other innocent children become victims of this syndrome. Reference
There is therefore the need to discuss the psychosocial ramifications, health consequences and impacts of this syndrome and how to protect innocent and fragile children in such unhealthy situations.
Oleribe O. E O. (2002). The Concept of Child Abuse. A publication of Anti Child Abuse Society of Africa (ACASA), Published by National War College Abuja Press.