Child abuse is divided into four types -- physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, and emotional maltreatment -- the types are more typically found in combination than alone. A physically abused child for example is often emotionally maltreated as well, and a sexually abused child may be also neglected. Any child at any age may experience any of the types of child abuse.
Child
- Shows sudden changes in behavior or school performance
- Withdrawal
- Loss of appetite, eating disorder
- Is always watchful, as though preparing for something bad to happen
- Has not received help for physical or medical problems brought to the parents’ attention
- Has learning problems that cannot be attributed to specific physical or psychological causes; a fall in grades in school
- Lacks adult supervision
- Is overly compliant, an overachiever, or too responsible
- Comes to school early, stays late, and does not want to go home
- Lack of self-confidence; poor relationships with other children
The Parent
- Shows little concern for the child, rarely responding to the school’s requests for information, for conferences, or for home visits
- Denies the existence of -- or blames the child for -- the child’s problems in school or at home
- Asks the classroom teacher to use harsh physical discipline if the child misbehaves
- Sees the child entirely bad, worthless, or burdensome
- Demands perfection or a level of physical or academic performance the child cannot achieve; or looks primarily to the child for care, attention, and satisfaction of emotional needs
Signs of Physical Abuse
Consider the possibility of physical abuse when the child:
- Has unexplained burns, bites, bruises, broken bones, or black eyes
- Has fading bruises or other marks noticeable after an absence from school
- Seems frightened of the parents and protests or cries when it is time to go home from school
- Shrinks at the approach of adults
- Reports injury by a parent or another adult caregiver
Consider the possibility of physical abuse when the parent or other adult caregiver:
- Offers conflicting, unconvincing, or no explanation for the child’'s injury
- Describes the child as “evil,” or in some other very negative way
- Uses harsh physical discipline with the child
- Has a history of abuse as a child.
Signs of Neglect
Consider the possibility of neglect when the child:
- Is frequently absent from school
- Begs or steals food or money from classmates
- Lacks needed medical or dental care, immunizations, or glasses
- Is consistently dirty and has severe body odor
- Lacks sufficient clothing for the weather
- Abuses alcohol or other drugs
- States there is no one at home to provide care
Consider the possibility of neglect when the parent or other adult caregiver:
- Appears to be indifferent to the child
- Seems apathetic or depressed
- Behaves irrationally or in a bizarre manner
- Is abusing alcohol or other drugs
Signs of Sexual Abuse
Consider the possibility of sexual abuse when the child:
- Has difficulty walking or sitting
- Suddenly refuses to change for gym or to participate in physical activities
- Clinginess; fear of being left alone with a particular person or at a particular place
- Recurrent nightmares; disturbed sleep patterns; sudden fear of the dark
- Sudden regression to infantile behavior such as bedwetting, thumb sucking, excessive crying
- Desire to engage in self destructive behavior such as biting oneself, pulling out hair, wrist-cutting
- May express unusual interest or knowledge about sexual matters, express affection in inappropriate ways for a child his or her age
- Demonstrates bizarre, sophisticated, or unusual sexual knowledge or behavior
- Becomes pregnant or contracts a venereal disease, particularly if under age fourteen
- Runs away
- Reports sexual abuse by a parent or another adult caregiver
Consider the possibility of sexual abuse when the parent or other adult caregiver:
- Is unduly protective of the child, severely limits the child’s contact with other children, especially of the opposite sex
- Is secretive and isolated
- Describes marital difficulties involving family power struggles or sexual relations
Signs of Emotional Maltreatment
Consider the possibility of emotional maltreatment when the child:
- Shows extremes in behavior, such as overly compliant or demanding behavior, extreme passivity or aggression
- Is either inappropriately adult (parenting other children, for example) or inappropriately infantile (frequently rocking or head-banging, for example)
- Is delayed in physical or emotional development
- Has attempted suicide
- Reports a lack of attachment to the parent
Consider the possibility of emotional maltreatment when the parent or other adult caregiver:
- Constantly blames, belittles, or berates the child
- Is unconcerned about the child and refuses to consider offers of help for the child’s school problems
- Overtly rejects the child
