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What is Child Abuse?
Child Maltreatment is any act or series of acts of commission or omission that results in harm, potential for harm, or threat of harm to a child.
Forms of Maltreatment:
Maltreatment includes act of commission which are deliberate and intentional; however, harm to a child might not be the intended consequence. Maltreatment also includes acts of omission which are the failure to provide for a child’s basic physical, emotional, or educational needs or to protect a child from harm or potential harm. Like acts of commission, harm to a child might not be the intended consequence.
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Types of Maltreatment:
• Physical abuse
• Medical neglect
• Psychological abuse
• Emotional neglect
• Physical neglect
• Educational neglect
• Sexual abuse
• Inadequate supervision
• Exposure to violent environments
(domestic violence, fighting, shootings, etc)
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Possible Signs & Symptoms:
(Every child is different, but here are some common signs
that you might see in an abused child)
• Changes in sleeping or eating patterns
• Change in mood (grumpy, sad, etc)
• Clinginess and difficulty separating
• Easily startled
• Difficulty paying attention/restless
• Aggressive behaviors
• Stomach aches, headaches or other physical complaints
• Reenacting the event through play
• Nightmares
• Regressive behaviors (thumb-sucking, difficulty with toileting, etc)
• Avoidance of people, places, or situations
• Blaming her/himself for what happened
• High-risk/self-injurious behaviors
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For more information, please check out the following links:
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Children & Domestic Violence Facts
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