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Caregiver Child Abuse

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Child abuse has become a global epidemic that involves maltreatment in forms such as emotional, physical, sexual abuse, and neglect. Not only does it affect the child at home, but their academic performance as well. A child becomes vulnerable to the perpetrator that eventually becomes difficult to escape. Many child abuse cases go unheard, this abuse has developmental and psychological effects which in many cases children can overcome with supportive interventions. Child abuse knows no barriers, it has become a tragic and common case in today’s society.
Child abuse has many different meanings. By definition, child abuse is any intentional harm or maltreatment of a child under 18 years old (Mayo Clinic Staff, 1998). A parent or caregiver can …show more content…
Physical abuse is when a parent or caregiver causes physical injury to a child by burning, choking, whipping, kicking, or biting the child. In result to the physical abuse, it consist of bruises, brain damage, broken bones, and sprains, along with emotional and psychological harm. Though signs are not visible at all times, the parent or caregiver will often not be able to explain why the child is injured. The caregiver or parent will display aggression towards the child and prevent medical care. Many caregivers keep the child away from school to prevent from any individual discovering that the child is being abused. Physical signs of a child being abused is a child who is not able to crawl. The injuries that are visible happen to be on any surface of the body with different stages of healing. The child will display aggression towards peers, often pets and adults. Not only will they fear adults but withdraw and isolate themselves from their classmates and friends. A child will develop insomnia and nightmares, often many children will act out during class and exploit self- destructive behavior (Child help, 2015). Unlike physical forms of discipline, unpredictability, lashing out in anger, and using fear to control behavior are characteristics present in physical abuse. The child never knows what behavior will trigger the parent to get furious. The parent has no boundaries therefore it is as the child is walking on eggshells. Parents who are physically abusive tend to believe that the child needs to display certain fear in order for the child to behave (Segal and Smith,

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