Physical and Behavioural Indicators of Possible Child Abuse Essay

Emotional abuse: Emotional abuse can severely damage a child’s mental health or social development, leaving a lasting impact on his life. Physical indicators: There are not really physical indicators of emotional abuse, but the child may have frequent psychosomatic complaints, headaches, nausea, abdominal pains. Behavioural indicators: The child may have mental or emotional development lags. Sometimes the child’s behaviour is inappropriate for the age. The child may be scared of consequences of actions, often leading to lying. The other indicators are aggressiveness poor peer relationships or overly compliant, too well-mannered. Neglect: Child neglect is a very common type of abuse – a parent’s inability to satisfy basic needs of the child, whether it is adequate food, clothing, hygiene, and adequate monitoring and care for him. Physical indicators: You can understand that that the child is being abuse by unattended medical and dental needs. When the child is inappropriate dress for weather conditions and has poor hygiene. Other indicator is when the child is not attending school or is not registered. Behavioural indicators: Emotional indicators are depression, poor impulse control or have lack of parental participation and interest. Also the child misuse of alcohol/drugs or regularly displays fatigue or listlessness, falls asleep in class. The child may start stealing food, or begs for food from classmates. Physical abuse: Physical abuse includes physical injury or trauma to the child. It may be the result of a deliberate attempt to injure the child, but not always. It can be the result of strict discipline, the use of belt or physical punishment, inappropriate for the child’s age or it’s condition. Many abusive parents and guardians insist that their actions are simply forms of discipline, a way to educate children. But there is much difference between the use of physical punishment to enforce discipline and physical abuse. The main effect of discipline is to teach children what is right and what is not, rather than live in fear. Physical Indicators: Physical indicators may be injuries as bruises, welts, cuts, burns, bite marks, fractures, that are not consistent with the explanation offered (e.g. extensive bruising to one area).Also repeated injuries over a period of time or injuries that form a shape or pattern that may look like the object used to make the injury for example buckle, hand, iron, teeth or cigarette burns. Other indicators are facial injuries in infants and preschool children for example cuts, bruises or sores. Also bald patches on child’s head where hair may have been torn out or repeated poisonings and/or accidents. Behavioural indicators: Behavioural indicators are runaway attempts, fear of going home or stilted conversation, vacant stares or frozen watchfulness, no attempt to seek comfort when hurt, also when the child describes themself as bad and deserving to be punished. You can understand that the child is being abuse when cannot recall how injuries occurred, or offers an inconsistent explanation and often absent from school/child care. Abused child may flinch if touched unexpectedly and may be extremely aggressive or withdrawn .The child may also use abusive behaviour and language in play. Sexual abuse: Sexual abuse is a very complex form of abuse beacause of feelings of guilt and shame. Important to note that sexual abuse does not always involve contact with the body. Physical indicators: Physical indicators may be sudden weight change, cuts or sores made by the child on the arm or recurring physical ailments. Also when the child has difficulty in walking or sitting and unusual or excessive itching in the genital or anal area due to infection. Other indicators are torn, stained or bloody underwear, also injuries to the mouth, genital or anal areas for example bruising, swelling, sores or infection. Behavioural indicators: You can understand that the child being abuse when it is sad and cries often, also if the child inserts objects into the vagina or rectum. The child may also change or loss of appetite and has sleep disturbances and nightmares .Also the child has fear of home or a specific place, excessive fear of men or women or lacks trust in others. The child may has age-inappropriate sexual play with toys, themselves or others for example replication of explicit sexual acts.