Ohio is not only the heart of it all for people, but it is also a great place to be a dog. Consequently, in the Buckeye State, nearly 40% of all households have at least one pooch. While most dogs are friendly and fun, others can be aggressive or downright vicious.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, dogs attack children more frequently than they do adults. If your child survives a dog bite, he or she may have serious and even life-threatening physical wounds. Regrettably, the catastrophic emotional harm a bite causes may last forever.
A clinical fear of dogs
If your child enjoys playing outside, he or she is likely to see at least one dog most days. Unfortunately, a serious dog attack may cause your son or daughter to develop cynophobia. This clinical fear of dogs may put a tremendous strain on your child’s quality of life, especially if he or she cannot avoid canines completely.
Post-traumatic stress disorder
PTSD, where a person experiences nightmares of flashbacks after a stressful event, can be exceedingly difficult to treat. While therapy and medication may help, your child’s brain may force him or her to revisit the brutal attack regularly.
Body-image issues
Children and adolescents often struggle to accept parts of their bodies. If a dog attack leaves the young one in your family with visible scars, though, he or she may develop body dysmorphia or other serious body-image issues. These issues may lead to tragic complications, such as eating disorders, body mutilation or even suicide.
Your paramount concern after a dog attack must be your child’s physical wellbeing. Ultimately, though, because an attack may lead to a lifetime of emotional consequences for your son or daughter, you may need to pursue additional financial compensation from the dog’s owner to help your child cope emotionally.