Lesson Two - Physical

• What are the numbers?
• Neglect
  • Indicators
  • Causes
• Physical
  • Considerations
  • Causes
• Emotional
• Sexual
• Cultural Issues
• Guidelines

Physical Abuse

On several occasions, a child patient enters the doctor's office with noticeable bruises on her face, arms and legs. The patient states that she gets into fights at school and that is why she has so many injuries. When the parents are asked about the marks, they state that she is clumsy and often falls and bumps into things. 

 At school, the same girl often gets very upset, particularly when disciplined by an adult. During activities, she is extremely aggressive and easily overreacts when something doesn't go her way. She used to be a model student, but now her grades are taking a turn for the worse. When the teacher says that he will have to notify her parents regarding the declining grades, the student becomes visibly upset and begs the teacher to give her a second chance. The teacher asks why she is so upset and the students reply is that she is afraid that she will get spanked for her poor grades. 

 The above description is only a brief glance into a child's life who has experienced physical maltreatment. Let's take a closer look at how physical abuse is defined, the characteristics a child might show, and how to  come to terms with spanking as a form of discipline. 

Definitions of Physical Abuse 

Child Physical Abuse means harm or threatened harm by a person to a child’s health or welfare which occurs through non-accidental physical or mental injury, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, or maltreatment. Physical abuse includes:

• Any injury that requires medical treatment outside the range of normal corrective measure.

• Any punishment that involves hitting with a closed fist or instrument, kicking, inflicting burns, or throwing a child.

The law regarding physical abuse not only covers primary care givers but a non-parent adult as well. A non-parent adult is a person who is 18 years of age or older who, regardless of domicile, has substantial and regular contact with the child, AND, has close personal relationship with the child’s parent or with a person responsible for the child’s health or welfare, AND is not the child’s parent or a person otherwise related to the child by blood or affinity to the third degree. 

The following is a chart of the physical and behavioral indicators that can occur with Physical Abuse. 

Physical Indicators	Behavioral Indicators
Unexplained burns, bites, bruises, broken bones, or black eyes	Sudden change in behavior or school performance
Faded bruises or other marks noticeable after an absence from school	Reports injury by a parent or other caregiver
Location of the injury	Has learning problems not attributable to specific physical or psychological causes
Size and shape of the injury	Seems frightened of parents or protests or cries when it is time to go home
Has not received help for physical or medical problems brought to the parents' attention	Shrinks at the approach of an adult

 

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