• ** Has unexplained burns, bites, bruises, broken bones, or black eyes.
  ** Has faded bruises or other marks noticeable after an ER or absence from school.
  ** Seems frightened of the parents and protests or cries when it is time to go home.
  ** Shrinks at the approach of adults (male or female).
  ** Reports injury by a parent or another adult caregiver.
  Consider the possibility of physical abuse when the parent or other adult caregiver:
  ** Offers conflicting, unconvincing, or no explanation for the child’s injury.
  ** Describes the child as “evil,” or in some other very negative way.
  ** Uses harsh physical discipline with the child.
  ** Has a history of abuse as a child.

Who is affected?

Over one million children in the United States each year are abused in some way.

Physical abuse affects children of all racial, economic, and ethnic backgrounds.

What causes it?

Physical abuse is caused by a person’s inability to control their anger or frustration. This loss of control is usually caused by factors that have nothing to do with the child, such as job or personal stresses, loneliness, depression, anxiety, fatigue, lack of a support system, psychiatric disorders, or substance abuse.

A child that is difficult because of a behavioral disorder or physical disability may also be a target for abuse if the parent is not equipped to handle these types of challenges.

A rare type of physical abuse occurs in Munchausen by proxy syndrome, a disorder in which a caregiver makes the child appear to be sick by altering medical records, test results, or making the child sick. The parent does this because they have an abnormal need for attention.

What are the symptoms?

The symptoms of physical abuse include: signs of injury such as:

Unexplained bruises, burns, scrapes, or broken bones.

An abused child’s behavior may change, making the child withdrawn and distrustful

(although most children will deny that anything is wrong).

Prolonged shaking of a child under the age of one causes a condition called shaken baby syndrome, which results in brain injury and often death. Skull fractures are also common in physically abused children.

Over the long run, abused children are more likely to use drugs, become sexually promiscuous, have low self esteem, exhibit extremely passive or aggressive behavior, have difficulty with interpersonal relationships, perform poorly in school, have frequent nightmares, and experience depression that can lead to attempted suicide.

Children who are physically abused often become abusive parents.

How is it diagnosed?

When a child has suspicious injuries, doctors and health care professionals must carefully question those who care for the child about the source of the child’s injury. Most often, the person responsible for the abuse may not be able to explain the child’s injuries, have inconsistencies in his or her story, or appear unconcerned about the injury.

The doctor will perform a thorough physical examination and look at the child’s medical history for signs of past abuse. He or she may order some diagnostic tests, such as x-rays, to look for signs of new and old injuries.

Treatment

The child is treated for his or her injuries, which may require hospitalization. He or she may be placed with relatives or a foster care family to protect the child from further abuse. Any siblings of the child are also examined for signs of abuse.

A treatment team may consist of a pediatrician, social worker, and a psychotherapist that work together to monitor the child’s physical and mental health, with the goal of reducing the long-term effects of the abuse. There are counseling programs that can help parents learn to control their impulses when angered or frustrated.

Prevention tips

Early identification and treatment of childhood physical abuse is important to stop the pain and reduce the likelihood of long-term psychological effects.

People who suspect that a child is physically abused should call the police or report these suspicions to their local child protective services agency.

Parents should be extremely cautious before leaving their children alone in the care of any adult until they are sure the caregiver is trustworthy, loving and caring and can be fully trusted with the safety of their child.