| What is Child Abuse and Neglect? |
One difficulty in recognizing abuse and neglect is that many of the signs are ambiguous. A child may have gotten a bruise from being beaten by an adult or by having run into a soccer goal. Moreover, children respond to maltreatment in different ways – some show no signs of abuse, while others have dramatic changes in behavior.
Familiarity with the child helps in interpreting any of the signs you observe. A sudden change in behavior, sustained over a period of time, suggests that the child needs assistance. The reasons may or may not have to do with abuse.
Types of abuse include:
• physical abuse • sexual abuse
• emotional abuse • neglect
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How can you tell if a child is being abuse?
Children who are physically abused may:
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Be nervous around adults
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Be watchful, as though they are preparing for something bad to happen
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Have difficulty playing
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Act aggressive to adults and other children
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Be unable to concentrate at school
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Suddenly under achieve or over achieve at school
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Find it difficult to trust other people and make friends
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Arrive at school early or leave after the other children
Children who are sexually abused may:
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Behave differently when the abuse starts
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Care less about their appearance or their health
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Talk or act sexually at too early an age
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Be secretive or stop talking about home-life
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Start soiling themselves
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Be unable to sleep
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Suddenly find physical contact frightening
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Under achieve at school
Children who are neglected or emotionally abused may:
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Have difficulty learning to talk
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Find it hard to develop close relationships
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Be overly friendly with strangers
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Be unable to play imaginatively
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Think badly of themselves
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Under achieve at school
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