Recognizing Child Abuse and Neglect
Physical Abuse
Infliction of physical injury or allowing another to do so.
Physical Indicators: | Behavioral Indicators: |
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Behavioral Indicators of Caretaker: Harsh disciplinarian, describes child in a consistently negative manner, defensive, conceals or misleads about child’s injuries, substance abuser.
Neglect:
Chronic failure to meet basic needs of a child for food, clothing, shelter, medical care, education or supervision.
Physical Indicators: | Behavioral Indicators: |
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Behavioral Indicators of Caretaker: Substance abuser, chaotic life style, apathetic, expects too much of child.
Sexual Abuse:
Utilization of a child for sexual gratification by an adult or older child in a position of power, or permitting another person to do so.
Physical Indicators: | Behavioral Indicators: |
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Emotional Maltreatment:
Emotional Neglect – Chronic failure by the caretaker to provide support and affection necessary to develop a sound and healthy personality.
Emotional Abuse – Chronic attitude or acts of a caretaker which are detrimental to the child’s development of a sound and healthy personality.
Behavioral Indicators:
- Low self esteem
- Difficulty forming positive relationships
- Eating disorders
- Elimination problems
- Speech disorders
- Inability to trust
- Sleep problems
- Sadistic, masochistic
- Apathetic
- Suicidal
- Withdrawal
- Anxiety, fear
- Developmental lags
- Reports emotional maltreatment
Behavioral Indicators of Caretaker: Rejecting, ignoring, terrorizing, isolating, corrupting.
(Information courtesy of Prevent Child Abuse Indiana)