What are the common signs of child abuse? What methods can we tell if our child has been sexually abused? How can child sexual abuse be recognized? It is better to be aware of some of the signs in your child. Teach your child how to take care of the genital area.
Has my child been abused?
If your child spends a lot of time away from you, such as with relatives, a nurse, at school or at home, it’s natural to worry about their safety. Like any parent, if your child has been abused, you may wonder whether or not to speak up. Some parents mistakenly ignore the signs that their child is being abused because they are afraid to confront what is going on. On the other hand, even when you ignore the physical signs and physical changes that indicate abuse, it takes some ingenuity to figure out exactly what’s going on. “You’re always playing a guessing game,” says Cathy Baxter, president of the San Francisco Child Abuse Society. A child can have many reasons for reacting, objecting or not accepting; But parents are really good at knowing their kids, so you have to put everything together to get a picture of what happened based on your instincts.” Baxter suggests regularly asking your child questions like, “Did something happen today? Has that upset you? Or have you ever been afraid of your nurse?” ask If she’s used to talking about things that make her uncomfortable, then she’ll be more likely to bring it up with you when something bad happens to her. express; But most of the time they are reluctant to express this issue. They don’t want to trouble the person in question. They feel guilty and may even feel that it happened because they were a bad person.” If your child is not very communicative, it can be difficult to pinpoint the issue of abuse. All you have to do is look him straight in the eye to spot the signs that things aren’t going well. Some parents only discover signs of abuse, such as internal bleeding and injury, when they take their child to the doctor because of constant crying and excessive excuses.
Signs to look out for
A child who has been physically abused:
- He cries and fights when he goes to school or when he is alone at home, or he feels scared when he is around other adults or his nurse.
- When he comes home, he has bruises, scrapes, burns, broken bones, black eyes, cuts, bite marks, or other injuries. If any of these symptoms are repeated, it can be a warning sign.
A child who has been emotionally abused:
- Manifests behavioral issues or problems such as avoiding parental expressions of affection (contrary, clinging strongly to parents) or acting angry or depressed or upset. Abused children exhibit extreme behaviors, a normally social and positive child may become passive and pompous, while a balanced child may become demanding and aggressive.
- Is speechless or stops communicating altogether or shows signs of a speech disorder such as stuttering.
- Inappropriately displays childish behaviors or acts like adults on the contrary. For example, a child may become very dependent on or protective of other children, or may revert to childish behaviors such as excessive shaking. He may also complain of headaches or abdominal pains that have no medical cause. He may even lose his appetite.
- Expressing fearful behaviors, such as nightmares or sleep disturbances, or may act as if waiting for something bad to happen.
A child who has been sexually abused:
- He has pain, itching, bleeding or bruising in his genital area.
- Difficulty walking or sitting due to pain in the vagina or anus.
- Suffers from urinary tract infections or sudden bedwetting.
- He doesn’t want to take off his coat or jacket even on hot days or insists on wearing some underwear.
- Demonstrates sexual knowledge, curiosity, or behavior beyond one’s age (eg, curiosity and obsession with sexual matters or seductive behavior toward peers or adults).
If you are concerned about possible abuse of your child, do not delay taking the necessary action. The sooner you address the problem, the better for your child
