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Maltreatment/Neglect
Maltreatment/neglect includes a parent or caretaker's failure
to give the child food, clothing, hygiene, shelter, medical
care and supervision. Maltreatment/Neglect may be difficult
to identify correctly. What appears as maltreatment/neglect
may be the result of poor parental or caretaker judgment.
Or it may be the result of poverty rather than neglect.
Maltreatment/neglect is a term used to encompass many situations.
What they all have in common is that maltreatment/neglect
is often determined by a lack of action-an act of omission-regarding
a child's needs. Most commonly, maltreatment/neglect is related
to a failure to meet a child's physical needs (including food,
clothing, shelter, supervision, and medical needs), but it
also can refer to a failure to meet a child's educational
and emotional needs. Maltreatment/neglect can range from a
caregiver's momentary inattention to willful deprivation.
Single incidents can have no harmful effects or, in some cases,
they can result in death. Chronic patterns of maltreatment/neglect
may result in severe developmental delays or severe emotional
disabilities.
Physical Indicators of Maltreatment/Neglect
- Consistent hunger;
- Obvious malnourishment, listlessness or fatigue;
- Poor hygiene; is consistently dirty or malodorous;
- Lacks sufficient clothing; inappropriate dress for age
or season;
- Consistent lack of supervision, especially in dangerous
activities or long periods;
- Abandonment;
- Child may frequently go to neighbors saying parents told
them to stay away;
- Unattended physical problems or medical or dental needs,
immunizations or glasses;
- Delayed physical development;
- Abuses alcohol or other drugs.
Child's Behavior - Possible Indicators of Maltreatment/
Neglect
- Begging or stealing food or money;
- Extended stays in school (early arrival and late departure);
- Frequent tardiness to school; " Infrequent school attendance;
- Constant fatigue, falling asleep in class;
- Alcohol and drug abuse;
- States there is no caretaker.
Parent's Behavior - Possible Indicators of Maltreatment/Neglect
- Misuses alcohol or other drugs;
- Has disorganized, chaotic or upsetting home life;
- Is apathetic, feels nothing will change;
- Is isolated from friends, relatives and neighbors;
- Has long-term chronic illness;
- Cannot be found;
- Has history of neglect as a child;
- Exposes child to unsafe living conditions;
- Evidences limited intellectual capacity.
Emotional Abuse
Physical Indicators of Emotional Abuse
- Conduct disorders (fighting in school, anti-social behavior,
destructive, etc.);
- Habit disorders (rocking, biting, sucking fingers, pulling
out hair, etc.);
- Anxiety disorders, speech disorders, sleep problems,
inhibition of play; phobias, hysterical reactions, compulsions,
hypochondria;
- Lags in physical development;
- Failure to thrive.
Child's Behavior - Possible Indicators of Emotional
Abuse
- Overly adaptive behavior, such as inappropriately adult
or inappropriately infantile;
- Developmental delays (mental and emotional);
- Extremes of behavior (compliant, passive, aggressive,
demanding);
- Self-mutilation; " Suicide attempts or gestures.
Parent's Behavior - Possible Indicators of Emotional
Abuse
- Treats children in the family unequally;
- Doesn't seem to care much about the child's problems;
- Blames or belittles the child;
- Is cold and rejecting;
- Inconsistent behavior toward child.
- Verbally terrorizes the child;
- Continually and severely criticizes the child,
- Failure to express any affection or nurturing.
- Humiliation,
- Engages in actions intended to produce fear or extreme
guilt in a child.
Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse can include promoting prostitution, fondling,
intercourse, or using the child for pornographic materials.
Consider the possibility of sexual abuse when the child
exhibits some of the following (CWIG, 2006a):
Physical Indicators of Sexual Abuse
- Has difficulty walking or sitting;
- Reports nightmares or bedwetting;
- Experiences a sudden change in appetite; or complains
frequently of abdominal discomfort of pain;
- Becomes pregnant, particularly in early adolescent years;
- Contracts a sexually transmitted disease, including venereal
oral infections in pr-adolescent age group;
- Has sudden, unusual difficulty with toilet habits;
- Experiences pain or itching, bruises or bleeding in the
genital area;
- Has torn, stained, or bloody clothing.
Child's Behavior - Possible Indicators of Sexual Abuse
- Suddenly refuses to change for gym or to participate
in physical activities;
- Demonstrates bizarre, sophisticated, or unusual sexual
knowledge or behavior, particularly given the child's age;
- Sexual victimization of other children;
- Exhibits withdrawal, fantasy or infantile behaviors;
- Poor peer relationships;
- Aggressive or disruptive behavior, delinquency, running
away or school truancy;
- Any sudden change in behavior;
- Self-injurious behaviors;
- Suicide attempts;
- Reports sexual abuse by caretaker;
- Exaggerated fear of closeness or physical contact.
Parent's Behavior - Possible Indicators of Sexual Abuse
- Very protective or jealous of child;
- Encourages or forces child to engage in prostitution;
- Encourages or forces sexual acts in the presence of caretaker;
- Misuses alcohol or other drugs;
- Is geographically isolated and/or lacking in social and
emotional contacts outside the family;
- Has low self-esteem.
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