About Abuse

Possible Signs of Neglect

Findings that should be carefully evaluated for neglect:

• Children left unsupervised in environments that are potentially dangerous or lethal.
• Children that appear malnourished, or starved and/or who demonstrate deprivational behaviors such as begging for food or eating out of the trash
• Disregard of one or more basic child care needs—for example, soft drink in baby bottle, child found in street, failure to place child in auto safety seat or belt.
• Children that receive serious or  frequent  injuries due to inappropriate supervision.
• Medical Neglect—Children who do not receive medical care for a condition that could became serious if left untreated.

Other situations that merit close inspection of children for abusive injuries:

• Adult violence, including domestic violence, in the home.
• Caretakers that are intoxicated (drugs or alcohol).

Note: A child may have findings suggesting more than one form of abuse or neglect.