Signs of Child Abuse
Physical, Sexual and Emotional Neglect and Abuse
Every minute of the day a child is abused. But there are ways to prevent this from happening. Here's what to look for.
Each and every day a child is being abused. This abuse can be at the hands of someone they know or don't know. Imagine a child with a bruise on the back of her arm in the shape of someone’s hand. Who would do such a thing? What could she have possibly done to warrant such harm? The sad fact is .... she didn't do a thing but ask for some juice.
Sound unimaginable? Some people think that child abusers come from low income families and live in low income housing. They work minimum wage jobs and drink daily. This is just simply not true. Abuse doesn't stop when you have money. Abusers come from all walks of life and all economic backgrounds.
According to the National Child Abuse & Neglect Data System (NCANDS) , child abuse is reported on an average of every 10 seconds and three children die every day as a result of such abuse. How many babies lives were lost this year because they were shaken to death?
You say to yourself, "I'd know if a child were being abused". Well that's not always true. Child abuse can be hard to detect at times. Many children hide their abuse for fear that they will be harmed even more. They feel that no one will believe them if they say something. Or even worse - they'll get the blame. Simple changes in a child can be seen when they are being abused (this is not to say that all children with these symptoms are being abused):
- Changes in sleep patterns
- Changes in appetite
- Changes in moods (may be withdrawn or may be aggressive)
- They may change their style of clothing (wearing longer sleeves for example)
Here are some symptoms of various forms of abuse according to the American Academy of Pediatrics:
Signs of Physical Abuse
- Any injury (bruise, burn, fracture, abdominal or head injury) that cannot be explained
Signs of Sexual Abuse
- Fearful behavior (nightmares, depression, unusual fears, attempts to run away)
- Abdominal pain, bedwetting, urinary tract infection, genital pain or bleeding, sexually transmitted disease
- Extreme sexual behavior that seems inappropriate for the child's age
Signs of Emotional Abuse
- Sudden change in self-confidence
- Headaches or stomachaches with no medical cause
- Abnormal fears, increased nightmares
- Attempts to run away
Signs of Emotional Neglect
- Failure to gain weight (especially in infants)
- Desperately affectionate behavior
- Voracious appetite and stealing of food
As bad as the abuse can be, the child will typically suffer far more emotional trauma than anything. Children who are being abused can become very withdrawn or depressed. If they don't get the proper counseling and treatment services, they may become suicidal.
As children have gotten older some have turned to drugs and alcohol as an outlet to escape. Many run away from home and live life on the streets. After all what can be worse then being abused? Even worse, a child who was abused may grow up to be an abuser themselves.
No one deserves to be harmed in any way. Especially not a child. Children look to adults to protect them and care for them until they are old enough to take care of themselves. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, a new form of child abuse is developing as well. Online sexual abuse is a new twist to this already confusing world of abuse.
Warning Signs of Online Sexual Child Abuse
- Your child spends large amounts of time online, especially at night.
- You find pornography on your child's computer.
- Your child receives phone calls from men you don't know, or is making calls, sometimes long distance, to numbers you don't recognize.
- Your child receives mail, gifts, or packages from someone you don't know.
- Your child turns the computer monitor off or quickly changes the screen on the monitor when you come into the room.
- Your child becomes withdrawn from the family.
- Your child is using an online account belonging to someone else.
Why would someone abuse a child? The answers to this question can vary:
- They may suffer from mental illness
- They may be frustrated with trying to provide for the child
- They may have a dependency on drugs and alcohol
- They may have anger management issues
- They may have personal problems (work issues, marital troubles)
- How a person deals with these issues may determine if they'll be an abuser.
Research has not been able to prove what about these life stressors triggers someone to harm a child.
What do I do if I suspect a child is being abused?
If you suspect a child is in immediate danger please call 9-1-1 right away first. Then according the non-profit Help Guide to get help in the U.S. call:
1-800-4-A-CHILD (Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline)
The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline can help:
- Victims: children and teens who have been abused
- Survivors of child abuse
- Abusers: people who have abused a child or who are afraid that they may abuse a child
- Witnesses to child abuse
You may also consult Child Help online to see of they have a local resource in your area. Their website is http://www.childhelp.org/get_help/local-phone-numbers.
The Child Welfare Information Gateway also has numbers by state at http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/reslist/printer_friendly.cfm?rs_id=5&rate_chno=11-11172.
Help prevent child abuse by being alert and informed. Knowledge is your best weapon.
