APPENDIX B
Identifying Child
Abuse Checklists
Child Abuse Checklists: Check all that apply or might apply. Any one of these indicators could either
be normal behavior for the individual child or due to other problems such as illness. This is a guide
when trying to determine if abuse has occurred. If you see several indicators or one indicator that is
life threatening, you should consider making a report.
Indicators of Child Physical Abuse
Physical Indicators
¨ Tenderness of abdomen, vomiting
¨ Headache, disorientation, dilated pupils, blackouts, or other manifestations of head injury
¨ Complaints of pain without obvious cause
¨ Swelling
¨ Bruises in various stages of healing
¨ Scarring and bruising around the mouth
¨ Multiple bite marks
¨ Burns that have specific shapes, patterns, or occur often
¨ Difficulty seeing or hearing or pain in eyes and ears
Emotional/Social Indicators
¨ Withdrawn or very passive behavior
¨ Aggressive behavior in play or difficulty getting along with other children
¨ Fear when with a particular adult, parent, or sibling or of going home
¨ Fear of being touched or loud voices
¨ Cringes when someone moves quickly as if afraid of being hit
¨ Suicidal behavior or discussion
¨ Problems in school work, concentration, learning difficulties
2S ¨ Explanations for injury that are inconsistent or unbelievable
1S ¨ Wearing long sleeves or pants when very warm
N ¨ Unwillingness to undress or remove clothing in front of other children or adults
L
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IDENTIFYING CHILD ABUSE CHECKLISTS 227
¨ Avoids physical contact
¨ Complaints of pain without obvious cause
¨ Learning problems, poor academic performance, short attention span, language delayed
Parent Indicators
¨ Parent talks of child being out of control, or as bad or evil
¨ Parent very rough and threatening when talking to child
2S
1S
N
L
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228 APPENDIX B
Child Abuse Checklists: Check all that apply or might apply. Any one of these indicators could either
be normal behavior for the individual child or due to other problems such as illness. This is a guide
when trying to determine if abuse has occurred. If you see several indicators or one indicator that is
life threatening, you should consider making a report.
Indicators of Child Emotional Abuse
Physical Indicators
¨ Speech difficulties, such as stuttering
¨ Developmental delays
¨ Toileting problems—pants wetting or soiling that is not age-appropriate, or excessive interest or behavior in
regard to toileting
¨ Head banging, rocking behavior
¨ Listless, lacking energy
¨ Failure to thrive
¨ Self-destructive behaviors
Emotional/Social Indicators
¨ Cheating and stealing
¨ Aggressive behavior
¨ Extremes in disposition—very happy, then very sad
¨ Overly compliant or clingy
¨ Destructive behavior including fire setting
¨ Anxious, insecure
¨ Avoids other children
¨ Extremely immature or overly mature behavior
¨ Poor peer relationships
¨ Unable to react emotionally to things
¨ Does not form emotional bonds to people
¨ Obsessive behaviors, such as hand washing
Parent Indicators
¨ Fear or no reaction to parents, especially lack of interest in parents in young toddlers
¨ Parent constantly speaks of child as “bad” and a “monster,” or belittles child and sees no good
¨ Parent always blames child for own and family’s problems
2S
1S
N
L
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IDENTIFYING CHILD ABUSE CHECKLISTS 229
Child Abuse Checklists: Check all that apply or might apply. Any one of these indicators could either
be normal behavior for the individual child or due to other problems such as illness. This is a guide
when trying to determine if abuse has occurred. If you see several indicators or one indicator that is
life threatening, you should consider making a report.
Indicators of Child Sexual Abuse
Physical Indicators
¨ Torn or stained underclothing
¨ Pain, odor, or bleeding in anal or genital area
¨ Difficulty sitting and walking
¨ Fear of being alone with an adult
¨ Promiscuous behavior
¨ Loss of appetite, trouble swallowing or eating
¨ Complaints of painful urination or bowel movements
Emotional/Social Indicators
¨ Secrecy
¨ Fear of men or women
¨ Low self-esteem
¨ Withdrawn or overly aggressive
¨ Fear of being touched
¨ Knowledge of sex beyond what is age-appropriate
¨ Suggestive sexual behavior
¨ Extreme fear of bathrooms
¨ Sudden change in behavior or performance in school
¨ Sexual behavior or words used in play with peers or dolls (beyond playing doctor or normal exploration)
¨ Describes sexual encounters
¨ Unusually focused in play or artwork on sexual parts
¨ Fear of medical exam or of others seeing child naked
¨ Child describes being photographed without clothing
¨ Nightmares, fear of the dark, trouble sleeping
¨ Unreasonable fear of “monsters”
¨ Child acting much younger than age, wanting to be taken care of at level inappropriate for developmental
stage
¨ Talking about new adult in life a lot or about a stranger child has met
Parent Indicators
¨ Using new terms for sexual behavior or body parts that have not been part of their vocabulary or seem out
of character
¨ Parent seems overly attentive to child in a more sexual way
2S
1S
N
L
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230 APPENDIX B
Child Abuse Checklists: Check all that apply or might apply. Any one of these indicators could either
be normal behavior for the individual child or due to other problems such as illness. This is a guide
when trying to determine if abuse has occurred. If you see several indicators or one indicator that is
life threatening, you should consider making a report.
Indicators of Child Neglect
Physical Indicators
¨ Poor hygiene
¨ Dental decay or poor dental care
¨ Inadequate, oversized, undersized, torn, or dirty clothing
¨ Chronic impetigo, sores, diaper rash, or lice
¨ Begging, hoarding, or stealing food
¨ Chronic tiredness
¨ Height and weight significantly above or below age level
¨ Lack of immunizations
¨ Undernourished or signs of malnourishment (swollen or distended stomach, etc.)
¨ Chronic insect bites, sunburn, or respiratory illness that seems to indicate overexposure to the elements
¨ Lack of medical treatment for illness or injury
Social/Emotional Indicators
¨ Overdressed or underdressed
¨ Missing a lot of school
¨ Lack of supervision for a child
¨ Child continually complains of having no bed, or sleeping in cars or different locations
¨ Child describes drugs or dangerous elements in the home
¨ Has little energy
Parent Indicators
¨ States there is no one at home when child is there
¨ Parent seems unconcerned about child
¨ Parent avoids appointments or coming to school
2S
1S
N
L
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IDENTIFYING CHILD ABUSE CHECKLISTS 231
Child Abuse Checklists: Check all that apply or might apply. Any one of these indicators could either
be normal behavior for the individual child or due to other problems such as illness. This is a guide
when trying to determine if abuse has occurred. If you see several indicators or one indicator that is
life threatening, you should consider making a report.
Indicators of Child Exploitation
¨ Child exhibits any symptoms of other forms of abuse
¨ Child is overly tired, withdrawn
¨ Child shows signs of working
¨ Child talks about work
¨ Child seems older than other children
¨ Child cares for other siblings when too young or for long periods of time
¨ Child describes being photographed inappropriately
¨ Child discusses illegal activities
¨ Child describes and is familiar with drugs, paraphernalia, and drug terminology
¨ Chronic back, hearing, cardiovascular, or respiratory problems as a result of sweatshops or work situations
¨ Unwilling to make friends, avoids other children
2S
1S
N
L
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