Child Abuse
Child abuse is a tough topic, but getting informed about what it is, how to identify it, and how to put a stop to it (the earlier the better) is critical to minimizing its impact. Children who are abused or neglected suffer not only in the present, but experience negative health consequences into adulthood. For example, extreme stress can harm brain development and development of the immune and nervous systems, which can result in chronic diseases of the heart, liver, and lungs and psychological illnesses such as depression.
Child abuse takes several forms, including physical abuse, sexual abuse, verbal abuse, and neglect. In other words, it doesn’t always result in visible damage. The Child Welfare Information Gateway describes how to identify various forms of child abuse and lists several signs, including
- Sudden changes in school performance
- Unexplained bruises, bites, burns, or other physical injuries
- Fear of parents or other adults
- Unwillingness to go home
- Emotional withdrawal
- Poor hygiene
- Lack of appropriate clothes for weather
- Missing vaccinations
- Extreme emotional behaviors: too compliant, too demanding, too aggressive, or too passive
- Infantilism
- Nightmares
- Unwillingness to participate in gym
- Alcohol or drug abuse
As shocking as child abuse can be, there are things that you can do as a friend, a teacher, or a health professional to get help for the child. These are some helpful resources:
- The Child Welfare Information Gateway provides family- and community-level resources including tools for strengthening families, sharing the prevention message in communities, and developing and evaluating prevention programs.
- Some types of individuals are mandated by law to report instances of child maltreatment.
- The Child Welfare Information Gateway provides details about who those persons are.
- Helpguide.org dispels several myths about child abuse and describes several risk factors for child abuse.
- The National Child Traumatic Stress Network provides several fact sheets, including one for sexual abuse and one for child physical abuse.
- Childhelp provides news and resources for kids, parents, and professionals for identifying and preventing child abuse.
These resources are provided for information purposes only and are not intended to replace professional medical, health, or legal advice. Please consult your doctor, mental health professional or lawyer for advice that is specific to your needs. SCC, its officers, directors, staff and attorneys hereby disclaim any responsibility for, or any liability resulting from, the use of these resources.
