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PEDIATRICIANS UNITED AGAINST CHILD BULLYING

Edwin V. Rodriguez, MD, MHPEd (c)

Spokesperson

PPS P.R.E.S.S.

The Philippine Pediatric Society (PPS) Inc. through its recently organized “Public Relations and Engagement Systems and Services (P.R.E.S.S)” has issued its official position denouncing incidents of child bullying in schools and communities.

According to Professor Rosalia Mumpar-Buzon, MD, a fellow of the society and a leading figure in ambulatory paediatrics and adolescent medicine, the root causes of this disturbing behaviour is closely associated to the different forms of child abuse experienced by the “bully” at home, in school or even in the community. This vicious cycle of “receiving and transmitting” abuse has alarmingly escalated to “destructive, violent and even fatal consequences” prompting the attention of child healthcare advocates to issue an official position regarding this issue.

Professor Buzon encouraged the society to actively engage itself in the “detection and prevention” of child bullying in schools. The PPS thus recommends that teachers and educators serve as co-equal frontliners in the identification of both perpetrator and victim of child bullying by practising vigilance and a high index of suspicion especially in picking up the “subtle” manifestations of this dysfunctional condition. They should likewise report any suspicion of its occurrence in their workplaces. Likewise, families must encourage open lines of communication with their children to facilitate an environment where an honest and open disclosure of this “hidden” problem can be made. And finally, pediatricians as gatekeepers of children’s safety and health must be well-adept in “unearthing and unlocking” the intricacies surrounding child bullying in their daily clinical encounters.