Child Abuse Mrs. Moscinski Child Psychology I

Child Abuse Equation  Whenever child abuse takes place there are always three main components present: CHILD + CARE GIVER + STRESS = CHILD ABUSE

Stress  Coping Threshold – a person’s ability to deal with stress on in any given situation.  Everyone has a different point at which they lose control.

Stressors  Think of 5 common stressors that are associated with having a child:

Removing Stress  Extra help from friends, babysitters and/or relatives.  Child development classes or reading books to better understand the child and their needs.  Counseling and/or group meetings with other parents.  Stress relieving activities such as mediation or breathing exercises.

Four Types of Abuse 1. Physical 2. Sexual 3. Emotional 4. Neglect

Physical Abuse  Non-accidental injury of a child that leaves marks, scars, bruises or broken bones.

Physical Indicators  Unexplained bruises, burns, human bites, broken bones, missing hair, scratches.

Behavioral Indicators  Wary of physical contact with adults, behavioral extremes (aggressive or withdrawn), frightened of parents or caregivers, afraid to go home, cheating, stealing, lying (a sign that expectations in the home are too high), layered clothing.

Sexual Abuse  Any inappropriate sexual exposure or touch by an adult to a child or any older child to a younger child. This includes fondling, sexual intercourse, sexual assault, rape, incest, child prostitution, exposure and pornography. It is abuse regardless of whether the victim was forced or tricked into any of the above.

Physical Indicators  Difficulty in walking or sitting, torn, stained or bloody undergarments, pain or itching in the genital area, bruises or bleeding in rectal / genital areas, frequent urinary tract infections or STDs.

Behavioral Indicators  Age-inappropriate sexual knowledge or sexual touch, abrupt change in personality, withdrawn, poor peer relationships, unwilling to change for gym or participate in physical activities, regressive behavior (ex: wetting pants).

Emotional Abuse  Parental behavior such as rejecting, terrorizing, berating, ignoring or isolating a child that causes or is likely to cause serious impairment of the physical, social, mental or emotional capacities of the child.

Physical Indicators  Speech disorders, lags in physical development, failure to thrive.

Behavioral Indicators  Habit disorders (sucking thumb, biting nails, rocking constantly), conduct disorders (withdrawal, destructiveness, cruelty), inhibition of play, behavioral extremes (aggressive or passive)

Neglect  Failure of parents or caretakers to provide needed, age appropriate care including food, clothing, shelter, protection from harm, and supervision appropriate to the child’s development, hygiene and mental care.

Physical Indicators  Constant hunger, poor hygiene, excessive sleepiness, unattended to physical problems or medical needs, inappropriate clothing for weather conditions.

Behavioral Indicators  Begging or stealing food, frequent sleepiness, inappropriate or disrespectful conduct and/or response to adults.

What To Do  Listen to and reassure the child that they are doing the right thing.  Use the child’s own vocabulary.  Do not promise not to tell.  Reinforce to the child that the abuse is not their fault.  Report the abuse to the local police, or an adult that you trust – do not keep the information to yourself!

Resources  NYS Office of Children and Family Services  Prevent Child Abuse New York

Reflection  Take a moment to think about these notes, and write a three sentence response on the blank space on the page below: How did you feel while taking these notes? Have you ever had an experience with or witnessed any form of child abuse? What can you do to help stop the problem of child abuse?