A Description of The Abused Child! Abused children are likely to have at least several of the following characteristics: They appear to be different from other children in physical or emotional makeup, or their parents wrongly describe them as being "different" or "bad." They seem very afraid of there parents. They may often have welts, bruises, untreated sores, or other skin injuries. Their injuries do not seem to be treated. They look like they have not been taken care of. They are given the wrong food, drink, or medicine. They show unusual behavior: for example, crying often, or crying very little and showing no real expectation of being comforted, being extremely fearful, or seemingly unafraid of adult authority, being unusually aggressive and destructive, or extremely passive and withdrawn. Some do not like physical contact, especially when it is started by an adult, they become fearful when an adult approaches another child, particularly one who is crying. Others are very hungry for affection (they want to be loved), yet they may find it very difficult to relate to children and other adults. Based on their past experiences, those children cannot risk getting to close to others. They may have a sudden change in behavior: for example, they may begin doing things they did when they were younger such as pants-wetting, thumb sucking, frequent whining, becoming disruptive, or becoming uncommonly shy or passive. They my take over the role of the parent being protective or otherwise attempting to take care of the parent's needs. They have learning problems that cannot be understood. If a child's academic IQ is average or better and medical tests indicate nothing is wrong, yet the child still cannot do well, the answer may well be problems in the home -- one of which might be abuse or neglect. Attention should be given to the child whose mind wanders and who easily becomes withdrawn. They are habitually truant from (skipping) or late to school. Frequent or long absences sometimes happen when a parent keeps an injured child at home until bruises disappear. In other cases, truancy indicates that the parents do not care or they cannot control their children. In some cases, the child frequently arrives at school too early and remains after classes rather than going home. They are always tired and often sleep in class. They are not dressed right for the weather. Children who never have coats or shoes in cold weather are receiving improper care. On the other hand, those who regularly wear long sleeves or high necklines on hot days may be dressed to hide bruises, burns, or other marks of Abuse. Monday's Child was Cruelly Beat, Tuesday's Child had Zero to Eat, Wednesday's Child was Badly Burned, Thursday's Child's Scars have Returned, Friday's Child was Forced into Bed, Saturday's Child has More Tears to Shed, But the Child Abused on Sabbath Day has Nightmares which Simply won't Go Away! By: Margulies/Rothco   This background snatched from my ole pal Brandy   Compliments of the ToyMaker This page hosted by Get your own Free Home Page