Signs of Emotional Abuse

Physical Indicators:

• Eating disorders, including obesity or anorexia.
• Speech disorders (stuttering, stammering).
• Developmental delays in the acquisition of speech or motor skills.
• Weight or height level substantially below norm.
• Flat or bald spots on head (infants).
• Nervous disorders (rashes, hives, facial tics, stomach aches).

Behavioral Indicators:

• Habit disorders (biting, rocking, head-banging).
• Cruel behavior, seeming to get pleasure from hurting children, adults or animals; seeming to get pleasure from being mistreated.
• Age-inappropriate behaviors (bedwetting, wetting, soiling).
• Behavioral extremes, such as overly compliant-demanding; withdrawn-aggressive; listless-excitable.

Observable Indicators

• child rocks, sucks, bites self
• inappropriately aggressive,
• destructive to others
• suffers from sleep, speech disorders
• restricts play activities or experiences
• demonstrates compulsions, obsessions, phobias, hysterical outbursts

Behavioral Indicators in Child

• negative statements about self
• shy, passive, compliant
• lags in physical, mental and emotional development
• self destructive behavior
• highly aggressive
• cruel to others
• overly demanding

Family or Parental Indicators

• blames or puts down child
• is cold and rejecting
• indifferent to child's problems or welfare
• withholds affection
• shows preferential treatment when there is more than one child in the family