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We don't know all the causes of child abuse and
neglect. We do know that parenting is a big responsibility
that at times, when combined with other life stresses,
can become too much.
Children exhibit signs of abuse and neglect in
a many different ways. Often they exhibit number
of behavioural and physical indicators. Children
may exhibit some of the indicators listed below,
but this is not necessarily conclusive evidence
of abuse.
Physical abuse is any harm to a child caused
by the action (or lack of action) of the child's
caregiver. Injuries that may occur include: bruising,
welts, cuts, fractures, burns or internal injuries.
Physical abuse can occur as an isolated incident
or continue over a period of time.
Signs of physical abuse include:
- Presence of various injuries over a period
of time
- Facial injuries in infants and preschool
children
- Injuries inconsistent with the child's age
- Presence of several injuries that are in
various stages of healing
- Child cannot recall how injuries occurred
- Offers an inconsistent explanation
- Wary of adults
- May flinch if touched unexpectedly
- Extremely aggressive
- Extremely withdrawn
- Indiscriminately seeks affection
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Emotional abuse includes all acts that result
in the lack of a nurturing environment for a child.
It occurs when the caregiver treats the child
in such a negative way that the child's concept
of "self" is seriously impaired. Emotional
abuse can be the most difficult to identify and
prove.
Emotionally abusive behaviour by
the caregiver can include:
- constant yelling
- demeaning remarks
- rejecting, ignoring or isolating the child
- terrorizing the child
Signs of emotional abuse can include:
- Severe depression
- Extreme withdrawal
- Extreme aggression
- Extreme attention seeking
- Extreme inhibition
- Bed wetting that is non-medical in origin
- Frequent psychosomatic complaints (headaches,
nausea, abdominal pains)
- Failure to thrive
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Neglect usually results from the lack of knowledge
about appropriate care for children or an inability
to plan appropriately for the child's needs.
Neglect includes a caregiver failing
to provide:
- adequate food and shelter
- safety
- medical or psychological treatment
- supervision
- adequate sleep
- clothing
Signs of neglect include:
- Poor hygiene
- Unattended physical problems or medical needs
- Consistent lack of supervision
- Frequent absence from school
- Engaged in delinquent acts or alcohol/drug
abuse
- Frequently arriving at school without a lunch
- Inappropriate clothing for the weather
- Consistently dirty clothes
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Sexual abuse is any sexual exploitation of a
child by an older person. The Criminal Code of
Canada identifies a number of types of sexual
abuse, including:
- Invitation to sexual touching
- Sexual exploitation
- Procuring sexual activity from a child
- Caregiver permitting sexual activity
- Exposing genitals to a child
- Incest
- Exposing to or engaging in pornography
Signs of sexual abuse include:
- Age-inappropriate play with toys, self or
others
- Unusual or excessive itching in the genital
or anal area
- Injuries to the genital or anal areas, e.g.
bruising, swelling or infection
- Displaying explicit sexual acts
- Torn, stained or bloody underwear
- Age-inappropriate sexually explicit drawing
or descriptions
- Bizarre, sophisticated or unusual sexual
knowledge
- Prostitution
- Seductive behaviour
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