"A Child Called It" - Where did that title come from?

In Dave's true story, he describes growing up as a victim of child abuse. Overtime, Dave did not even consider himself part of his family. He lived in the garage, was not allowed to eat with his family, and could not even talk to his other brothers. Dave's mother never referred to him by name, and he recalls in his book the first time she called him "it." Not only did his mother act like he did not exist, but she even took away his own name. This took away his identity and his sense of self. "A Child Called It" is the title of Dave's book because that is how he perceived himself.