Many children from all over the world are affected by abuse. Most people think of abuse as the physical kind, involving violence and other such things.

But child abuse goes beyond that.

An abused child doesn’t always have bruises or other injuries on their body but may also show emotional signs of abuse.

For example, in some cases, the little one may be neglected.

Many times, the abuser is someone the child already knows, such as a family member or another close person.

It’s essential to recognize the signs of neglect or abuse in children in order to seek help and put an end to it. 

Physical Abuse Signs

Physical signs of abuse may be the easiest ones to notice because they are visible.

There are various injuries that an abused child may have on their body depending on what type of abuse took place. 

Physical signs of abuse include:

• A strange and unusual bruising pattern that resembles the shape of a particular item or instrument used to cause the injury (such as a hand, belt, hairbrush, and others)
• Burns, welts, and bruising that are hard to explain, especially on the mouth, lips, face, or multiple areas on infants or very young children
• Burns that have no logical explanation (such as cigarette burns)
• Body injuries in areas where children do not usually get hurt (thighs, neck, back, torso, and others)
• Clusters of burns, welts, or bruises that hint to repeated abuse with the hand or a certain item
• Abrasion or laceration on the child’s external genitalia
• Bleeding beneath the scalp or hair absence from hair pulling
• Tears in the gum tissue (potentially as a force-feeding result)
• Fearful, withdrawn, or extreme behavior

Emotional Abuse Signs

Usually, it is harder to notice emotional signs of abuse, or they may be mistaken for other types of behaviors.

However, if you pay attention to the child, any of the following symptoms and signs should make you ask questions about the child’s safety:

• Depression
• Loss of self-esteem or self-confidence
• Loss of developmental skills that were previously acquired
• Seeking attention desperately
• Losing enthusiasm or interest in activities/things they once enjoyed
• Inappropriate/delayed emotional development
• Avoiding certain situations
• Having a worse school performance all of a sudden
• Isolation

Signs of Neglect

Neglect is also a form of abuse, so you should look out for signs of neglect too. Here are some symptoms a neglected child may show:

• Bad hygiene
• Losing weight or being overweight
• Poor growth
• Hiding food to enjoy it later
• Taking money or food without being permitted
• Not having supplies or clothing to meet physical needs
• Not getting proper attention for psychological, dental, or medical problems, or getting no follow-up care
• Having a poor school attendance record

Sexual Abuse Signs

A child who is sexually abused may show the following warning signs:

• Blood on their underwear
• Inappropriate sexual contact with other kids
• STD or pregnancy
• Too much sexual knowledge/behavior for their age
• Statements regarding being sexually abused

Conclusion

Kids will show different symptoms of abuse depending on what form of abuse they experienced. Also, the statistics are quite worrying in this regard.

For example, in N.Y., the child abuse rate is 17.1 per 1,000 children.

If you live in one of New York’s areas, such as the Bronx, and you suspect a child is abused, look out for the signs mentioned in the article and then hire a domestic assault attorney for legal help.