Child Abuse
by Cayla McCord
1. Neglect
1.1. Neglect is maltreatment related to the failure to provide needed, age-appropriate care.
1.2. Sign: dehydration, poor or improper hygiene, poor grooming, malnourishment/weight loss, etc.
2. Physical
2.1. Physical abuse is any intentional and unwanted contact with someone or something close to their body (scratching, punching, biting, strangling, kicking, etc.).
2.2. Signs: burns, cuts, bruises, breaks/sprains, etc.
3. Sexual
3.1. Sexual abuse is when an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation.
3.2. Signs: pain during urination and/or bowel movements, bleeding, discharges or pain in mouth, genitals or anus, sexually transmitted diseases, difficulty walking, sitting, standing, etc.
4. Verbal/Emotional
4.1. Emotional abuse is ongoing emotional maltreatment or emotional neglect of a child and can involve deliberately trying to scare, humiliate, ignore, or isolate a child.
4.2. Signs: loss of self-confidence or self-esteem, isolation, loss interest in hobbies, headaches or stomachaches, loss of appetite, etc.
5. This is important to me because child abuse is a huge problem, and it needs to be stopped.
