Child abuse
Symptoms & causes
Any intentional harm or
mistreatment of a child under 18 years old is considered child abuse. Child
abuse takes many forms, which often occur at the same time.
Physical abuse.
Physical child abuse occurs when a child is purposely physically injured or put
at risk of harm by another person.
Sexual abuse.
Child sexual abuse is any sexual activity with a child. This can involve sexual
contact, such as intentional sexual touching, oral-genital contact or
intercourse. This can also involve noncontact sexual abuse of a child, such as
exposing a child to sexual activity or pornography; observing or filming a
child in a sexual manner; sexual harassment of a child; or prostitution of a
child, including sex trafficking.
Emotional abuse.
Emotional child abuse means injuring a child's self-esteem or emotional
well-being. It includes verbal and emotional assault — such as continually
belittling or berating a child — as well as isolating, ignoring or rejecting a
child.
Medical abuse.
Medical child abuse occurs when someone gives false information about illness
in a child that requires medical attention, putting the child at risk of injury
and unnecessary medical care.
Neglect.
Child neglect is failure to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, clean
living conditions, affection, supervision, education, or dental or medical
care.
In many cases, child abuse
is perpetrated by someone the child knows and trusts — often a parent or other
relative. If you suspect child abuse, report the abuse to the proper
authorities.
Symptoms
A child who's being abused
may feel guilty, ashamed or confused. The child may be afraid to tell anyone
about the abuse, especially if the abuser is a parent, other relative or family
friend. That's why it's vital to watch for red flags, such as:
Withdrawal from friends or
usual activities
Changes in behavior — such
as aggression, anger, hostility or hyperactivity — or changes in school
performance
Depression, anxiety or
unusual fears, or a sudden loss of self-confidence
Sleep problems and
nightmares
An apparent lack of
supervision
Frequent absences from
school
Rebellious or defiant
behavior
Self-harm or attempts at
suicide
Specific signs and symptoms
depend on the type of abuse and can vary. Keep in mind that warning signs are
just that — warning signs. The presence of warning signs doesn't necessarily
mean that a child is being abused.
Physical abuse signs
and symptoms
Unexplained injuries, such
as bruises, broken bones (fractures) or burns
Injuries that don't match
the given explanation
Injuries that aren't
compatible with the child's developmental ability
Sexual abuse signs
and symptoms
Sexual behavior or knowledge
that's inappropriate for the child's age
Pregnancy or a sexually
transmitted infection
Genital or anal pain,
bleeding, or injury
Statements by the child that
he or she was sexually abused
Inappropriate sexual
behavior with other children
Emotional abuse signs
and symptoms
Delayed or inappropriate
emotional development
Loss of self-confidence or
self-esteem
Social withdrawal or a loss
of interest or enthusiasm
Depression
Avoidance of certain
situations, such as refusing to go to school or ride the bus
Appears to desperately seek
affection
A decrease in school
performance or loss of interest in school
Loss of previously acquired
developmental skills
Neglect signs and
symptoms
Poor growth
Excessive weight with
medical complications that are not being adequately addressed
Poor personal cleanliness
Lack of clothing or supplies
to meet physical needs
Hoarding or stealing food
Poor record of school
attendance
Lack of appropriate
attention for medical, dental or psychological problems or lack of necessary
follow-up care
Parental behavior
Sometimes a parent's
demeanor or behavior sends red flags about child abuse. Warning signs include a
parent who:
Shows little concern for the
child
Appears unable to recognize
physical or emotional distress in the child
Blames the child for the
problems
Consistently belittles or
berates the child, and describes the child with negative terms, such as
"worthless" or "evil"
Expects the child to provide
attention and care to the parent and seems jealous of other family members
getting attention from the child
Uses harsh physical
discipline
Demands an inappropriate
level of physical or academic performance
Severely limits the child's
contact with others
Offers conflicting or
unconvincing explanations for a child's injuries or no explanation at all
Repeatedly brings the child
for medical evaluations or requests medical tests, such as X-rays and lab
tests, for concerns not seen during the health care provider's examination
Physical punishment
Child health experts condemn
the use of violence in any form, but some people still use physical punishment,
such as spanking, to discipline their children. While parents and caregivers
often use physical punishment with the intention of helping their children or
making their behavior better, research shows that spanking is linked with
worse, not better, behavior. It's also linked to mental health problems,
difficult relationships with parents, lower self-esteem and lower academic
performance.
Any physical punishment may
leave emotional scars. Parental behaviors that cause pain, physical injury or
emotional trauma — even when done in the name of discipline — could be child
abuse.
When to see a doctor
If you're concerned that
your child or another child has been abused, seek help immediately. Depending
on the situation, contact the child's health care provider, a local child
welfare agency, the police department or a 24-hour hotline for advice. In the United
States, you can get information and assistance by calling or texting the Child
help National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.
If the child needs immediate
medical attention, call 911 or your local emergency number.
In the United States, keep in
mind that health care professionals and many other people, such as teachers and
social workers, are legally required to report all suspected cases of child
abuse to the appropriate local child welfare agency.
Risk factors
Factors that may increase a
person's risk of becoming abusive include:
A history of being abused or
neglected as a child
Physical or mental illness,
such as depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Family crisis or stress,
including domestic violence and other marital conflicts, or single parenting
A child in the family who is
developmentally or physically disabled
Financial stress,
unemployment or poverty
Social or extended family
isolation
Poor understanding of child
development and parenting skills
Alcohol, drugs or other
substance abuse
Complications
Some children overcome the
physical and psychological effects of child abuse, particularly those with
strong social support and resiliency skills who can adapt and cope with bad
experiences. For many others, however, child abuse may result in physical, behavioral,
emotional or mental health issues — even years later.
Here are some examples:
Physical issues
Premature death
Physical disabilities
Learning disabilities
Substance abuse
Health problems, such as
heart disease, diabetes, chronic lung disease and cancer
Behavioral issues
Illegal or violent behavior
Abuse of others
Withdrawal
Suicide attempts or
self-injury
High-risk sexual behaviors
or teen pregnancy
Problems in school or not
finishing high school
Limited social and
relationship skills
Problems with work or
staying employed
Emotional issues
Low self-esteem
Difficulty establishing or
maintaining relationships
Challenges with intimacy and
trust
An unhealthy view of
parenthood
Inability to cope with
stress and frustrations
An acceptance that violence
is a normal part of relationships
Mental health disorders
Eating disorders
Personality disorders
Behavior disorders
Depression
Anxiety disorders
Post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD)
Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
and nightmares
Attachment disorders
Prevention
You can take important steps
to protect your child from exploitation and child abuse, as well as prevent
child abuse in your neighborhood or community. The goal is to provide safe,
stable, nurturing relationships for children.
Here's how you can help keep
children safe:
Offer your child love
and attention. Nurture and listen to your child and be
involved in your child's life to develop trust and good communication.
Encourage your child to tell you if there's a problem. A supportive family
environment and social networks can help improve your child's feelings of
self-esteem and self-worth.
Don't respond in
anger. If you feel overwhelmed or out of control,
take a break. Don't take out your anger on your child. Talk with your health
care provider or a therapist about ways you can learn to cope with stress and
better interact with your child.
Ensure Adequate supervision.
Don't leave a young child home alone. In public, keep a close eye on your
child. Volunteer at school and for activities to get to know the adults who
spend time with your child. When old enough to go out without supervision,
encourage your child to stay away from strangers and to hang out with friends
rather than be alone. Make it a rule that your child tells you where he or she
is at all times. Find out who's supervising your child — for example, at a
sleepover.
Know your child's
caregivers. Check references for babysitters and other
caregivers. Make irregular, but frequent, unannounced visits to observe what's
happening. Don't allow substitutes for your usual child care provider if you
don't know the substitute.
Emphasize when to say
no. Make sure your child understands that he or she doesn't
have to do anything that seems scary or uncomfortable. Encourage your child to
leave a threatening or frightening situation immediately and seek help from a
trusted adult. If something happens, encourage your child to talk to you or
another trusted adult about what happened. Assure your child that it's OK to
talk and that he or she won't get in trouble.
Teach your child how
to stay safe online. Put the computer in a common area of
your home, not the child's bedroom. Use the parental controls to restrict the
types of websites your child can visit. Check your child's privacy settings on
social networking sites. Consider it a red flag if your child is secretive
about online activities.
Cover online ground rules,
such as not sharing personal information; not responding to inappropriate,
hurtful or frightening messages; and not arranging to meet an online contact in
person without your permission. Tell your child to let you know if an unknown
person makes contact through a social networking site. Report online harassment
or inappropriate senders to your service provider and local authorities, if
necessary.
Reach out.
Meet the families in your neighborhood, including parents and children. Develop
a network of supportive family and friends. If a friend or neighbor seems to be
struggling, offer to babysit or help in another way. Consider joining a parent
support group so that you have an appropriate place to vent your frustrations.
If you worry that you
might abuse your child
If you're concerned that you
might abuse your child, seek help immediately. In the United States, you can
get information and assistance by calling or texting the Child help National
Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453).
Or you can start by talking
with your family health care provider. Your provider may offer a referral to a
parent education class, counseling or a support group for parents to help you
learn appropriate ways to deal with your anger. If you're misusing alcohol or
drugs, ask your health care provider about treatment options.
If you were abused as a
child, get counseling to ensure you don't continue the abuse cycle or teach
those destructive behaviors to your child.
Remember, child abuse is
preventable — and often a symptom of a problem that may be treatable. Ask for
help today.
Jan Ricks Jennings, MHA,
LFACHE
Senior Consultant
Senior Management
Resources, LLC
JanJenningsBlog.Blogspot.com
412.913.0636 Cell
724.733.0509 Office
September 21, 2022
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