Child Abuse

5 Pages 1256 Words

Running Head: Child Abuse in the Preschool Years


Abstract
Child abuse can take many forms and has a variety of symptoms. A child who is abused may show all of them or none. It isn’t always easy to tell if a child has been or is being abused. A child also may become resilient. Many times the abuse is a cycle that has started many generations before and each child has learned that it is acceptable to treat their own children like that. It is important that if you suspect abuse to call and inform the appropriate people because otherwise it may go unseen.





















Child Abuse in the Preschool Years
Child Abuse occurs more than many people think it does. It can take many forms such as emotional, sexual, and physical abuse. The effects can last a lifetime. Child abuse can have detrimental effects on cognitive and social development, especially, when it occurs before or during the preschool years of life.
Symptoms of Abuse
Physical abuse is more frequent for families living in stressful situations, poverty, single-parent households, and high levels of marital conflict. A few warning signs of physical abuse are: injuries that have no reasonable explanation, burns from cigarettes or immersion of hot water, fear of adults or care providers, inappropriate attire in warm weather, and fear of physical contact. Many times abuse occurs because parents or caregivers are insensitive to the child’s emotional or behavioral levels. They have unreasonably high expectations for their children (Feldman, 2003).
Psychological abuse occurs when parents or caregivers harm children’s behavioral, cognitive, emotional, or physical functioning. Psychological abuse also includes neglect. The caregivers make the child feel like they are a burden to them and the child may be threatened with abandonment or even death. Neglect is ignoring or being emotionally irresponsive to the child. Psychological ab...