What Is Physical Abuse?

Physical abuse is the most well known type of abuse. Unlike any other type of abuse, there are many indications that physical abuse could be prominent in the child’s life. The first red flag to physical abuse is unexplained bruises. The bruises can be anywhere on the child’s body. If there are bruises that are in the form of an object such as a belt, cord, or rope, this is defiantly an sign that this child is being abused physically. Also if the unexplained bruises happen to appear after an absence weekend or vacation then it can be suggested that abuse could be used when school is not in session. Another sign oh physical abuse is unexplained fractures. Just like the bruises, these fractures can be anywhere on the body. An unexplained burn
such as cigarette burns cigar burns, and immersion burns are signs of physical abuse. If you suspect that abuse if being used in at home in the form of burns, most of the time the burs will be on the soles, palms, back or the buttocks of the child, so these would be the places to look out for them.
If there are any unexplained lacerations or abrasions on the child these are also a red flag. Any form of injury that is unexplained or “accidental” can be a sign of abuse. However, you have to be cautious because there are times where things could be accidental, which in that case is not considered abuse. Neglect or maltreatment is another form of abuse. If a child is always hungry never dresses suitably or does not have good hygiene, then neglect could be happening. If the child never has supervision at home especially around dangerous situations or activates this is considered neglect as well. Lastly, if a child seems to have medical problems that are not being dealt with, or the child is being abandoned in anyways this is also an indication that neglect is taking place. Emotional maltreatment is another type of abuse. This form of abuse can be in the shape of a child participating in fights at school, bad habits, neurotic disorders, psychoneurotic reactions, lag in physical development and a failure to flourish and
succeed. Sexual abuse is the last type of abuse. If a child is uncomfortable when walking or sitting, has bloody underclothing, pain or itching in their genital area, bruises or bleeding in external genitalia, transmitted diseases, or pregnancy at an early age then you can suspect that sexual abuse is taking place in the child’s life. It is important to acknowledge how hard it is for a child to talk about the abuse taking place at home.
This is why it is vital for teachers to know how to go about talking to the child about it. When talking to the child about what is going on, you want to make sure that you are someone that the child trusts and knows. It is also a good idea to have the conversation is an area that is familiar to the child yet is private as well. You do not want to overwhelm the child by having to many people talking to the child about this topic, so it is a good idea to have one or two people in the room with the child. For the teacher, it is important to make the child feel comfortable. In order to make the child feel comfortable you want to make sure not to pressure the child into talking about things that they do not want to talk about. When talking to the child about this topic it is also a good idea to sit next to them, and at a level that is comfortable for the child. Lastly it is very vital to let the child know and make sure they understand that they have done nothing wrong. There are a few do not’s that are good for the teacher to be aware of before talking to the child of abuse. First, do not answer for the
child. Do not pressure the child to answer things that he or she is not comfortable with. Do not make the child show and injuries by taking off their clothing. Do not show any disapproval, shock, or horror since the child may take those expressions and think they are the reason you felt that way. Do not leave the child alone with a stranger and most importantly never as the child why this happened.