Signs of Child Physical Abuse

Written by HealthyPlace.com Staff Writer

How do you know if a child is being abused? Find out about the physical and behavioral signs of child physical abuse.

Physical abuse is the most visible form of child abuse or maltreatment because physical indicators are the first to be noticed. The first step to eliminating child physical abuse is to acknowledge that it occurs. The next step is to learn to recognize the signs and symptoms in order to determine if a child is being abused.

There are several factors to be considered in raising the question of possible physical abuse. First, the location, nature, and extent/severity of the injury are important to consider. Does the injury fit with the explanation given? Is the child's age or developmental stage consistent with the type of injury? For example, burns that are in the shape of an iron, grill, or cigarette, or immersion burns that children could not have inflicted upon themselves. Other indicators may include human bite marks, fingernail scratches that leave parallel linear marks, or other lacerations or abrasions that may indicate an instrument used. Some children may have missing, loose, or broken teeth, bald spots on their head, or bruises/welts in various stages of healing all over the body.

Physical Indicators of Child Physical Abuse

• bite marks

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• unusual bruises
• lacerations
• burns
• high incidence of accidents or frequent injuries
• fractures in unusual places
• injuries, swellings to face and extremities
• discoloration of skin

Behavioral Indicators of Child Physical Abuse

Depending on the child's age, level of functioning, and developmental stage, behavior can be an indication that something is wrong. The following are some of the behavioral indicators which may suggest possible physical abuse:

• the child is unusually wary of physical contact with adults
• seems frightened of parents or other adults
• is afraid to go home
• overly compliant with authority

These children may wet the bed and exhibit regressed behavior. Abused children may be shy, withdrawn, and uncommunicative or hyperactive, aggressive, and disruptive. Many abused children do not show emotion when they are hurt, and as discussed earlier, offer implausible explanations of injuries. A caution flag should be raised when a child is habitually absent from school or late without an explanation from the parents. A parent may be keeping the child at home until physical evidence of abuse has disappeared. When they come to school, they may wear inappropriate long-sleeved or high-collared clothing on hot days to hide injuries. It may appear to others that the child is accident prone or just moves/walks awkwardly. It is important to pay attention to these indicators and not dismiss them as insignificant, especially when several of these occur together.

Older children may exhibit different behavioral signs than younger children. For example, they may engaging in acting out behavior such as running away, getting involved in criminal activities, or engaging in self-destructive behaviors such as abuse of drugs and alcohol abuse.