Child Abuse can be defined as causing or permitting any harmful or offensive contact on a child's body; and, any communication or transaction of any kind which humiliates, shames, or frightens the child. Some child development experts go a bit further, and define child abuse as any act or omission, which fails to nurture or in the upbringing of the children. There are several types of abuse that a child can be exposed to, and many children are subjected to various forms: physical, sexual, emotional, abuse, and neglect. A child might display any or none of the warning signs described here if he or she is currently being abused or has been abused in the past.

Physical Abuse: The inflicting of physical injury upon a child. This may include, burning, hitting, punching, shaking, kicking, beating, or otherwise harming a child. The parent or caretaker may not have intended to hurt the child, the injury is not an accident. It may, however, been the result of over-discipline or physical punishment that is inappropriate to the child’s age.

• Bruising, welts or burns that cannot be sufficiently explained; particularly bruises on the face, lips, and mouth of infants or on several surface planes at the same time;
   
• Withdrawn, fearful or extreme behavior;
   
• Clusters of bruises, welts or burns, indicating repeated contact with a hand or instrument;
   
• Burns that are insufficiently explained; for example, cigarette burns; and
   
• Injuries on children where children don't usually get injured (e.g., the torso, back neck buttocks, or thighs).
   
• Children that are especially aggressive or who display behavior that seems excessively mature or caretaking for someone their age may be living in violent homes

Sexual Abuse: The inappropriate sexual behavior with a child. It includes fondling a child’s genitals, making the child fondle the adult’s genitals, intercourse, incest, rape, sodomy, exhibitionism and sexual exploitation. To be considered child abuse these acts have to be committed by a person responsible for the care of a child (for example a baby-sitter, a parent, or a daycare provider) or related to the child. If a stranger commits these acts, it would be considered sexual assault and handled solely be the police and criminal courts.

• Difficulty walking or sitting
   
• Pain or itching in the genital area
   
• Stained or bloody underclothing
   
• Frequent complaints of stomachaches or headaches
   
• Venereal or sexually transmitted disease
   
• Bruises or bleeding in external genitalia
   
• Feeling threatened by physical contact
   
• Inappropriate sex play or premature understanding of sex
   
• Frequent urinary or yeast infections

Emotional Abuse: also known as: verbal abuse, mental abuse, and psychological maltreatment) Includes acts or the failures to act by parents or caretakers that have caused or could cause, serious behavioral, cognitive, emotional, or mental disorders.

This can include parents/caretakers using extreme and/or bizarre forms of punishment, such as confinement in a closet or dark room or being tied to a chair for long periods of time or threatening or terrorizing a child. Less severe acts, but no less damaging are belittling or rejecting treatment, using derogatory terms to describe the child, habitual scapegoating or blaming. Signs may include:

• Speech disorders
   
• Inability to play as most children do
   
• Sleeping problems
   
• Anti-social behavior or behavioral extremes
   
• Delays in emotional and intellectual growth

Neglect: The failure to provide for the child’s basic needs. Neglect can be physical, educational, or emotional. Physical neglect can include not providing adequate food or clothing, appropriate medical care, supervision, or proper weather protection (heat or coats). It may include abandonment. Educational neglect includes failure to provide appropriate schooling or special educational needs, allowing excessive truancies. Psychological neglect includes the lack of any emotional support and love, never attending to the child, spousal abuse, drug and alcohol abuse including allowing the child to participate in drug and alcohol use.

• Lack of medical or dental care
   
• Chronically dirty or unbathed
   
• Lack of adequate school attendance
   
• Lack of parental supervision
   
• Lack of proper nutrition
   
• Lack of adequate housing
   
• Self-destructive feelings or behavior