The Child:

• Shows sudden changes in behavior or school performance:
  
• Has not received help for physical or medical problems brought to the parents' attention;
  
• Has learning problems that cannot be attributed to specific physical or psychological causes:
  
• Is always watchful, as though preparing for something bad to happen;
  
• Lacks adult supervision;
  
• Is overly compliant, an overachiever, or too responsible; or
  
• Comes to school early, stays late, and does not want to go home.

The Parent:

• Shows little concern for the child, rarely responding to the school's request for information, for conferences, or for home visits;
  
• Denies the existence of or blames the child for the child's problems in school or at home;
  
• Asks the classroom teacher to use harsh physical discipline if the child misbehaves;
  
• Sees the child entirely bad, worthless, or burdensome;
  
• Demands perfection or a level of physical or academic performance the child cannot achieve; or
  
• Looks primarily to the child for care, attention, and satisfaction of emotional needs.

The Parent and Child:

• Rarely touch or look at each other;
  
• Consider their relationship entirely negative; or
  
• State that they do not like each other.

Signs of physical abuse. Consider the possibility of physical abuse when the child:

• Has unexplained burns, bites, bruises, broken bones, or black eyes;
  
• Has fading bruises or other marks noticeable after an absence from school;
  
• Seems frightened of the parents and protests or cries when it is time to go home from school;
  
• Shrinks at the approach of adults; or
  
• 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; or
  
• Has a history of abuse as a child.

Signs of neglect. Consider the possibility of neglect when the child;

• Is frequently absent from school;
  
• Begs or steals food or money from classmates;
  
• Lacks needed medical or dental care, immunizations, or glasses;
  
• Is consistently dirty and has severe body odor;
  
• Lacks sufficient clothing for the weather;
  
• Abuses alcohol or other drugs; or
  
• States that there is no one at home to provide care.

Consider the possibility of neglect when the parent or other adult caregiver:

• Appears to be indifferent to the child
  
• Seems apathetic or depressed;
  
• Behaves irrationally or in a bizarre manner; or
  
• Is abusing alcohol or other drugs.

Signs of sexual abuse. Consider the possibility of sexual abuse when the child:

• Has difficulty walking or sitting;
  
• Suddenly refuses to change for gym or to participate in physical activities;
  
• Demonstrates bizarre, sophisticated, or unusual sexual knowledge or behavior;
  
• Becomes pregnant or contracts a venereal disease, particularly if under age fourteen;
  
• Runs away; or
  
• Reports sexual abuse by a parent or another adult caregiver.

Consider the possibility of sexual abuse when the parent or other adult caregiver:

• Is unduly protective of the child, severely limits the child's contact with other children, especially of the opposite sex;
  
• Is secretive and isolated; or
  
• Describes marital difficulties involving family power struggles or sexual relations.
  Signs of emotional maltreatment. Consider the possibility of emotional maltreatment when the child:
  
• Shows extremes in behavior, such as overly compliant or demanding behavior, extreme passivity or aggression;
  
• Is either inappropriately adult (parenting other children, for example) or inappropriately infantile (frequently rocking or head-banging, for example);
  
• Is delayed in physical or emotional development;
  
• Has attempted suicide; or
  
• Reports a lack of attachment to the parent.

Consider the possibility of emotional maltreatment when the parent or other adult caregiver:

• Constantly blames, belittles, or berates the child;
  
• Is unconcerned about the child and refuses to consider offers of help for the child's school problems; or
  
• Overtly rejects the child.

Reprinted with permission of THE NATIONAL COMMITTEE TO PREVENT CHILD ABUSE 332 S. Michigan Avenue/ Suite 1600/ Chicago, Il 60604 Hot line: 1-800-55-NCPCA

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Last modified 14 Feb 2003