Child abuse - physical Health Article

Definition

Physical child abuse or non-accidental child trauma refers to fractures and other signs of injury that occur when a child is hit in anger.

The physical signs of child abuse used to be called battered child syndrome. This syndrome referred to many fractures that occurred at different times in children too young to have received them from an accident. The definition of child abuse has since been expanded.

See also:

• Child sexual abuse
• Child psychological abuse and neglect
• Shaken baby syndrome

Alternative Names

Battered child syndrome; Physical abuse - children

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Physical abuse tends to occur at moments of great stress. Many people who commit physical abuse were abused themselves as children. As a result, they often do not realize that abuse is not appropriate discipline.

Often people who commit physical abuse also have poor impulse control. This prevents them from thinking about what happens as a result of their actions.

The rate of child abuse is fairly high. The most common form is neglect.

The major risk factors for child abuse include:

• Alcoholism
• Drug abuse
• Being a single parent
• Lack of education
• Poverty

However, it is important to note that cases of child abuse are found in every racial or ethnic background and social class. It is impossible to tell abusers from non-abusers by looking at their appearance or background.

Symptoms

An adult may bring an injured child to an emergency room with a strange explanation of the cause of the injury. The child's injury may not be recent.

Symptoms include:

• Black eyes
• Broken bones that are unusual and unexplained
• Bruise marks shaped like hands, fingers, or objects (such as a belt)
• Bruises in areas where normal childhood activities would not usually result in bruising
• Bulging fontanelle
• Burn (scalding) marks
• Burns from an electric stove, radiator, heater or other hot objects, usually seen on the child's hands, arms or buttocks
• Choke marks around the neck
• Cigarette burns on exposed areas or on the genitals
• Circular marks around the wrists or ankles (signs of twisting or tying up)
• Human bite marks
• Lash marks
• Separated sutures
• Unexplained unconsciousness in an infant