Physical Abuse

What is physical abuse? Click here.

How common is physical abuse? Click here.

How does physical abuse impact on a child? Click here.

What are the signs of physical abuse? Click here.

What always needs to be taken into account? Click here.

What is physical abuse?

Physical abuse may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating, or or anything else that causes physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness in a child [1].

How common is physical abuse?

When asked in 2009, 7-8% of young people had experienced some form of physical violence by their parents or guardians during childhood [2].

How does physical abuse impact on a child?

  • The child will feel immediate pain and suffering
  • There may be medical problems caused by the physical injury
  • The emotional pain will last long after the bruises and wounds have healed
  • The longer physical abuse of a child occurs, the more serious the impact: chronic physical abuse or a single episode of severe physical abuse can result in long term physical disabilities; including brain damage, hearing loss or eye damage
  • The child can die in the instance of severe physical abuse

What are the signs of physical abuse?

Some of the common signs can be:

  • Bruising - especially in areas that are not usually injured
  • Cuts and scratches - especially in areas that are not usually injured
  • Bite marks
  • Burns and scalds
  • Broken bones - without a good explanation
  • Shaken babies (abusive head trauma) - causes bleeding into the brain so the baby may be unconscious or fitting
  • Signs of physical abuse can also be more subtle: a child may be fearful, shy away from touch, be reluctant to change for PE or appear to be afraid to go home

What always needs to be taken into account?

  • The child's age and stage of development; for example a baby who can't sit up yet should not have bruises anywhere unless there is a clear history of trauma such as a car accident; whilst a school aged child will usually have a couple of bruises on their shins caused during normal play
  • The child's explanation (where this is possible) and the parent or carer's explanation for the injury. In abuse, the parent's explanation may not fit with the injury seen, seem very vague or change every time they are asked about the injury. The child may have been 'trained' to echo the parent's explanation