9 hours Ago By Kjersti Maday
For help with child abuse, visit www.childhelp.org or call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) — free, confidential, and 24/7.
FARGO — A tree at Sanford Children's CARE Clinic is covered in 484 paper leaves — each one representing a child who was treated for abuse at the clinic in 2024. April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and Sanford providers are using the display to raise awareness about how common abuse is — and how important it is to talk to children early and openly. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in four girls and one in 20 boys will experience childhood sexual abuse.
Sanford pediatric nurse practitioner Rachel Ulmer said the best prevention starts at home. "Teach them the proper names of their body parts, don't give them fancy nicknames or silly nicknames," Ulmer said. "Tell them what their body parts are and what their body parts are for .
.. and let them know that there are private parts, there are parts on your body that nobody should be looking at, nobody should be touching.
" Sanford Health recommends parents and caregivers visit www.amaze.org for resources on how to talk with children about their bodies, sex and relationships.
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