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What is physical abuse?

Physical abuse, which is 19% of all substantiated cases of child abuse, is the most visible form of abuse and may be defined as any act which results in a non-accidental trauma or physical injury. Inflicted physical injury most often represents unreasonable, severe corporal punishment or unjustifiable punishment. This usually happens when a frustrated or angry parent strikes, shakes or throws a child. Physical abuse injuries result from punching, beating, kicking, biting, burning or otherwise harming a child. While any of these injuries can occur accidentally when a child is at play, physical abuse should be suspected if the explanations do not fit the injury or if a pattern of frequency is apparent. The longer the abuse continues, the more serious the injuries to the child and the more difficult it is to eliminate the abusive behavior.

Physical Indicators of Abuse

BRUISES	BURNS	LACERATIONS & ABRASIONS	SKELETAL INJURIES	HEAD INJURIES	INTERNAL INJURIES
On body posterior	Immersion burns: doughnut-shaped on the buttocks	On Lips, eyes, infants face	Fractures of long bones from twising and pulling	Missing or loosened teeth	Intestinal injuries from hitting or kicking
Unusual patterns	Cigarette burns: hands, feet	On gum tissue, caused by forced feeding	Separation of bone and shaft	Absence of hair	Rupture of heart-related blood vessels
In clusters	Rope burns from confinement	On external genitals	Detachment of tissue of bone and shaft	Hemorrhaging beneath scalp from hair pulling	Inflammation of abdominal area
On infants	Dry burns,   caused by iron		Spiral fractures	Subdural/retinal hemorrhages from hitting or shaking
Multiples    in various stages of healing			Stiff, swollen, enlarged joints	Nasal or jaw fracture