Look for any physical signs of abuse, including bruises, cuts, burns (possibly from cigarettes), or broken bones.
Step2
Check for clues in the child's behavior; she might have difficulty walking, sitting, or performing certain activities because of soreness. If she's tired, she may be sleeping poorly or having nightmares.
Step3
Note the child's weight. Weight loss can indicate she's not getting enough to eat. Overeating can signal emotional trouble.
Step4
Observe her social behaviors. An abused child may be distrustful, extremely introverted, aggressive, or physically self-destructive. She may overdo attempts to please others, or pick fights to get attention. Emotional problems may affect her school performance.
Step5
Determine whether her intellectual development is on track. Abused children (especially infants) often lack age-appropriate language and social skills.
Step6
Find out whether the child or her parents abuse drugs or alcohol.
Step7
Report any warning signs of abuse to your local police or child abuse prevention agency. Check the government section of your White Pages for phone numbers.
on 1/5/2006
I've been doing a lot of research and I've seen a sign of abused children to be a lack of performance in their school work. So far I haven't seen the opposite, that the child would excel in school work. The truth is, a parent who is hard on their child may see school work as another area in which to control their child. If they come home with a bad grade, that's just another excuse to cause harm to their child. Also, parents who are well informed that abused children do badly in school will have another way to disprove a child abuse case. She makes straight A's, she must be happy. It could also be another reason for the child to overly please their parents with the good grades.
Comments
Anonymous said
on 1/5/2006 I've been doing a lot of research and I've seen a sign of abused children to be a lack of performance in their school work. So far I haven't seen the opposite, that the child would excel in school work. The truth is, a parent who is hard on their child may see school work as another area in which to control their child. If they come home with a bad grade, that's just another excuse to cause harm to their child. Also, parents who are well informed that abused children do badly in school will have another way to disprove a child abuse case. She makes straight A's, she must be happy. It could also be another reason for the child to overly please their parents with the good grades.