Signs of child abuse can go undetected

Child abuse and neglect often go undetected leaving physical and emotional scars on the abused and neglected child. These scars carry over into adulthood often causing severe psychological problems for the adult who was abused and/or neglected in childhood and adolescence. Child abuse can be physical and/or sexual and neglect can be physical and/or emotional.

A pattern of abuse may go undetected for years; sometimes, throughout the victim’s childhood and adolescence. The abused child’s family is often isolated, lacking close friends or relatives, with little or no community involvement. Stressful events in the home are often precipitating factors and may include marital strife, loss of job or housing, physical fatigue of the caregiver, birth of a sibling, alcohol and drug abuse, legal problems, and major illness or psychiatric problems. Child abusers are frequently lonely and unhappy individuals who are angry and under pressure. Their lifestyles are often chaotic. Poverty seems to increase the incidents of child abuse because with poverty comes the increased occurrence of life crises. Abusive parents often show little concern for their child’s problems and are unavailable for school conferences or when assistance is offered to their children. They often delay seeking medical attention for their child or display a history of switching their child from doctor to doctor in order to avoid detection of an abusive pattern. Many child abusers were abused children themselves and often lack a healthy self-concept. They are frequently immature and lack knowledge of healthy parenting skills. Generally speaking however, only one parent abuses the child; the other takes a supportive or neutral role.

Children most likely to be abused are often handicapped and/or mentally challenged. They may exhibit low impulse control and acting out tendencies – often described as stubborn, inquisitive and demanding and are frequently unwanted children. Other children more likely to be abused are those who are perceived by the parent as being different from other children, either physically or emotionally.

Some of the signs of physical abuse include:

• Bruises, often confined to the low back and buttocks of a child.
• Finger and thumb prints on the arms or face.
• Slap marks.
• Adult-sized bite or choke marks, especially in the neck area.
• Restraint marks on the wrists or ankles.
• Bald spots where hair has been pulled out.
• Burn marks from cigarettes or hot water.
• Neurological injuries, often undetected by a layman. For instance, violent shaking of a child can produce retinal hemorrhage.
• A reluctance to change clothes for physical education classes.
• Preference for long sleeves, even in hot weather.
• Chronic absence without reasonable explanations.
• Fear of other children or adults.
• Lack of happiness or joy in life.
• Problems in expressing anger or pain.

Although increasing attention is being focused on child abuse and neglect, this very troublesome problem needs a great deal more attention. Early recognition and detection can lead to early intervention and assistance for the child.

In next week’s column I will continue to examine this subject of child abuse and neglect.

Harold H. LeCrone, Jr., Ph.D. Copyright 1999