Child abuse is defined in the United States as any injury, death, emotional harm or risk of serious harm to a child from a parent or caregiver (“What is”, n.d.). This abuse takes place in and outside of the home, whether it be verbal or nonverbal. No matter the situation, child abuse is illegal in all fifty states, and should be reported immediately. Abuse has many different categories. These categories consist of emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and child neglect (“Abuse causes”, n.d.).
Emotional/Physical Abuse
Emotional abuse involve words and actions. These words are demeaning, and are intended to hurt the child’s feelings. The words that are said may cause the child to feel depressed and shameful. This …show more content…
Child neglect is when children aren’t cared for correctly. Often, children who are neglected are improperly clothed, denied basic medical needs, and poorly cared for. These children usually are starved and and have poor nutrition. Child neglect has two different categories: emotional and physical. Emotional neglect is when children do not get any attention from their parents. This neglect could result in poor bonding skills, detachment from their parents, and poor interactive skills. Results from emotional neglect could lead to mental or personality disorders as they grow older. On the other hand, physical neglect is when a child is malnourished, improperly clothed, and their basic medical needs aren’t fulfilled and up-to-date (“Abuse causes”, …show more content…
The anxiety about leaving school could potentially raise a red flag amongst teachers. For instance, if a child is excited towards the beginning of school, and then suddenly turns depressed and scared to go home, abuse has taken place. Another way to look for child abuse is the child’s eating habits. A child may have gained or lost a large amount of weight quickly. This may result in poor school performance and attendance. If a child isn’t getting enough nutrients at home, they may have difficulty concentrating, and their attendance may drop