Sometimes children may have trouble recognizing that they are being abused. Recognizing abuse can be especially hard for a child who has grown up with it. Children may feel powerless and think that it is normal behavior or that nothing can be done about it.

Children might also erroneously think that they bring abuse on themselves by misbehaving or not living up to a caretaker’s expectations.

Recognizing abuse may save a child’s life. Abused and neglected children or adolescents often display the following signs or symptoms:

• Multiple bruises, welts, sores or other injuries that do not seem to heal.
  
  
• Always seem unclean and/or unusually hungry.
  
  
• Appear fearful of one or both parents or other caretaker.
  
  
• Nightmares or other sleep disturbances.
  
  
• Regression to earlier stage of development (e.g., thumbsucking or bedwetting).
  
  
• Aggressive, disruptive and sometimes illegal behavior (e.g., temper tantrums, stealing, attempts to run away). Also, unusually passive or withdrawn behavior.
  
  
• Shying away from physical contact with other adults.
  
  
• Problems in school (e.g., excessive absences, problems with learning and/or paying attention).
  
  
• Emotional disorders such as depression, anxiety or suicidal ideation.
  
  
• Experiencing flashbacks.
  
  
• Substance abuse or drug dependence.
  
  
• Acting out in sexually inappropriate ways.
  
  
• Abdominal pain, genital pain or bleeding, urinary tract infection and/or sexually transmitted disease.