Another Hidden Cost of War

FRESNO, Calif. (KMJ) — Babies and toddlers of soldiers returning from deployment face an increased risk of abuse, during the first six months they’re back home.

According to a study published in the American Journal of Public Health, the risk increases among those who deploy more frequently.

Researchers examined families of more than 112,000 solders, whose children were 2 years of age or younger.

It reveals yet another hidden cost of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, which have claimed the lives of thousands of troops, and have wounded more than 50,000.

Experts say while incidents of child abuse and neglect among military families are below those among the general population, the study is another indicator of the stress that deployment places on soldiers.