Signs and Symptoms of an Abused or Neglected Child

Neglect and abuse of children is still on the rise. You hear stories on the news all the time where a child is hurt or worse by a caregiver or even a parent.

You wonder what can I do. You can start by knowing the signs of an abused or neglected child.

First, be warned that one sign that does not mean a child is being abused or neglected. But if you continue to see signs over a period of time, then there may be cause for alarm. Of course, if you actually see a child being hit with your own eyes then you all ready know the answer. The child is being abused.

But sometimes it is hard to spot a sign or signs. The following is some examples of what you should look for when suspect abuse or neglect.

1. Lack of adult supervision. Is the child being outside during hours a child should be inside?

2. Has the child's performance in school or other activities suddenly change? Does the child miss a lot of school, suddenly?

3. Does the child seem nervous or guarded? Does the child jump at sudden noises?

4. Does the child seem to have a no care attitude or is suddenly withdrawn?

5. Does the child go to school or other activities early and then doesn't seem to want to go home afterward the activity?

You can even sometimes see signs from parents that something may be wrong.

1. How does the parent talk about the child? Does the parent seem to blame the child for everything?

2. Does the parent show concern for any of the child's problems at school or any medical conditions?

3. Does the parent have an I don't care attitude about the child?

4. Does the parent care if the child is discplined in school?

5. Does the parent seem to think that the child should take care of him or her?

Finally, if you can see the parent and child interacting together, what do you see? Do you see a loving relationship? Do they hug or touch each other? Have you ever heard one or both say that they hated the other one?

Of course, physical abuse is easier to spot sometimes than emotional abuse. Some signs of physical abuse are:

1. Unexplained accidents, broken bones, bruises, burn marks.

2. Does the child wear long sleeves in warm weather?

3. Seems frighten when it is time to go home.

Of course the above lists are just examples. Abuse and neglect is a big subject. It can be shown in many ways. But the first step in stopping the pattern of abuse and neglect is for outside influences to see it and report it.

If you suspect that a child is being neglected or abused, please call your local Child Protective Services or to find the number of your local agency call 1-800-4-A-Child.

Don't put off up making that call, if you suspect something is wrong. Remember by waiting you may be allowing the chain of abuse and neglect to continue and something really bad could happen to that child.

Note: April is Awareness month for abused and neglected children. Many local communities will be placing pinwheels in the ground together in a group to represent the number of cases that their local Child Protection Services have helped in one year. If your community is participating, stop and really look at how many pinwheels are sitting sadly in the wind.