Child Abuse Information
What Is Child Abuse?
Child abuse is the physical or psychological mistreatment of
a child by his or her parents (including adoptive parents), guardians, or other
adults. While this term emphasizes on carrying out wrong acts, a related term is
child neglect: not doing what is necessary, negligence. The combined problem
area is often called child abuse and neglect. Below the term abuse is used in
the generalized meaning which also includes neglect. Child abuse occurs in all
classes of society.
Maladjusted psychological need may drive an adult to abuse a child. One thing in
common among different types and degrees of abuse is failure to consider a
child's long-term interest.
Imposing malnutrition on a child can be a form of abuse depending on severity.
For example, causing a child to forfeit breakfast one morning might not be
considered child abuse.
Symptoms Of Child Abuse
Among the symptoms that various professionals sometimes ascribe to and seek as
signs of child abuse are:
* emotional withdrawal/distance
* parental refusal of needed medical care
* premature sexual/romantic promiscuity for girls
* lack of sexual interest (e.g. dating) for boys (with respect to age, cultural,
and religious
beliefs)
* shyness
* child seems afraid of parents/care givers
* stunting of mental/emotional growth
* failure to look people in the eye
* temper tantrums/violence
* speech and language difficulties
* general dirtiness
* general unhealthiness
* lice, fleas and similar parasites
* parental refusal of needed medical care
* stunting of mental/emotional growth
* too thin, not within normal weight range for age and gender
* alcohol/drug abuse by parents/care givers
* Parents/care givers often (but not always) have low education and income
* emotional withdrawal/distance
* over aggressive behavior (especially boys)
* distinctively shaped scars, most especially:
* any second-degree burn associated with stoves, fire or boiling water
* belt buckles
* genital modification and mutilation
* circumference burns without splash burns
* cigarette/cigar burns
* spirals (as in a typical stovetop burner)
* whips (and similar objects)
* temper tantrums/violence
* parental refusal of needed medical care
* child seems afraid of parents/care givers
* bullying of other children
* alcohol abuse by parents/care givers
* Shaken baby syndrome
* emotional withdrawal/distance
* injured vagina or anus
* semen in the vagina or anus
* parental refusal of needed medical care
* unusually early preoccupation with sex
* emotional withdrawal/distance
* shyness; few, if any, friends
* stunting of mental/emotional growth
* excelling at school in younger years, then gradually doing poorly in the teen
years
* failure to look people in the eye
* temper tantrums/anger/violence directed only at parents/care givers (otherwise
very
well-behaved)
* speech and language difficulties
* fearful and afraid of new relationships
* lack of sexual interest (e.g. dating) for boys (with respect to age, cultural,
and religious
beliefs)
* procrastination as the child becomes older and more independent
* unable to take care of self with respect to age
* being bullied by other children
* child rarely seen in public (except possibly school)
* parents/care givers often (but not always) well educated
* greater risk if family resides in outlying suburban or rural area.
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