Child abuse is an act of abuse that results in physical or emotional harm to a child and in some cases death. The four main forms of Child Abuse are physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse and neglect.

Child abuse is an act resulting in serious physical or emotional harm, exploitation or death. Child abuse includes physical, emotional, sexual and neglect.

 Most of the time child abuse is dependent on a teacher or close adult noticing these signs in order for a child to receive the help they need. 

Child sexual abuse

Sexual abusing a child can be any inappropriate touching, the showing of pornography, sexual acts or exposing of body parts to the child for the sexual pleasure of the adult. In many child sexual abuse cases, there are no pertruding signs of abuse, however the child may have no friends, have low self-esteem, a sudden drop in grades, and may show an unusual sexual interest for their age. 

Physical signs of child sexual abuse include:

• Sexually transmitted disease
• Trauma to the mouth
• Stained or bloody underwear or bruises, bleeding or discharge in the genital area
• Swelling, itching or pain in the genital area
• Difficulty walking, sitting or urinating
• Chronic sore throat, stomach upset, headaches

Domestically abused children

Sometimes children can become the victims of domestic violence or they are emotionally traumatized by someone else being abused in the home. 

Physical signs of domestically abused children:

• Frequent injuries, often described as an accident
• Absences from school
• Child never invites friends home
• Excessive fear
• Depression or low self-esteem

Physical child abuse

Physical child abuse is an injury suffered by the child by being harmed by another person. Sometimes this is visible, and sometimes it is not.  is any injury suffered by a child at the hands of another person. Sometimes you can see the injury; often you cannot.

Physical signs of physical abuse include:

• Injuries on the child’s body in the shape of an object, such as a strap or belt buckle
• Bruises or burns on the child’s body
• Fractures
• A delay between the time of injury and medical treatment
• Child may be afraid to return home
• Child may flinch at other adults

What is emotional abuse?

Emotional child abuse lowers a child’s social, emotional, and psychological development and lowers their self-esteem. Most often, physically or sexually abused children also suffer from emotional child abuse. 

Physical signs of emotional abuse include:

• Low self-esteem
• Severe depression
• Aggression
• Withdrawal
• Severe anxiety