Step 3: Signs of Child Abuse
Some signs can indicate any form of child abuse:
Aggressive, disruptive, and sometimes illegal behavior; Anger and rage, or
feelings of sadness or other symptoms of depression; Anxiety or fears, or
flashbacks and nightmares; Broken bones or internal injuries; Burns; Changes in
a child's behavior or school performance; Constant hunger or thirst; Cuts and
bruises; Dirty hair or skin, frequent diaper rash; Drug and alcohol abuse;
Hard-to-believe stories about how accidents occurred; Lack of interest in
surroundings; Lack of supervision; Passive or withdrawn behavior; Poor
self-image; Sexual acting out; Self-destructive or self-abusive behavior,
suicidal thoughts; School problems or failure; The child seems guarded and
startles easily; The child loiters at school or friends' houses; The child seems
reluctant to go home
Child abuse is more likely to occur when any of the following exist in
families:
An adult was abused as a child; An adult views a child as being different from
the parent's preconceived expectations; The parent perceives a child as having
special needs; There is a crisis or series of crises; Parental depression or
mental illness; Parental chronic physical illness; Physical abuse of the mother;
Poor adherence to medical recommendation for children; Marked aggression among
siblings; Extreme overprotection of child; Poverty; Having physical or
behavioral traits that make the child especially difficult to care for; Other
violence in the home; Alcohol or other drug abuse by parents or caretakers;
Being a stepparent; Social isolation of the caretaker (the person feels that he
or she has no support); Family stress due to job loss, financial burdens,
illness, death, separation, or divorce.
Referring to this article:
Child Abuse: An Overview was written by C. J. Newton, MA, Learning Specialist
and published in the TherapistFinder.net Mental Health Journal in April, 2001.
Use or reference to this article on the Internet must be accompanied by a link
to the page you cite.
ON THE WEB: (Just Copy)
Newton, C. J.
<i><a href="http://www.therapistfinder.net/Child-Abuse/">
Child Abuse: An Overview </a></i> <b>TherapistFinder.net Mental
Health Journal</b>. April, 2001.
IN PRINT:
Newton, C. J. Child Abuse: An Overview. TherapistFinder.net Mental Health
Journal (http://www.therapistfinder.net/Child-Abuse/). April, 2001.
If you see some of these signs on your child you should install a nanny cam in your home and find out what is happening when you are not around.