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General Risk Factors for Child Abuse and Neglect

History of drug or alcohol abuse within the family
Severe stress-economic, lifestyle, or as a result of disasters
Lack of a support network or isolation (e. g. single parent families; few close friends; no relatives nearby; geographic isolation; inability to, or fear of, interacting with neighbors)
Other forms of family violence within the home (spousal or partner abuse, abuse or neglect of elders)
History of a parent having been abused as a child

Warning Signs

Repeated injuries, or injuries in various stages of healing
Inappropriate behavior
Neglected appearance or hygiene
Parents that are extremely strict or super-critical of the child

Some Conditions That May Mimic Abuse

Accidental injuries, typically in similar stages of healing
Birthmarks: Do not heal and disappear, although they may fade after many years
Bullous impetigo: Staph or strep infections that respond to antibiotic regimens
Folk medicine remedies, such as cupping, coin rubbing, or moxibustion, most common in families of Southeast Asian or Central American heritage
"Port-wine stains" typical of Sturge-Weber Syndrome: Do not change or disappear
Slate-gray spots of infancy (formerly "Mongolian spots:): Fade gradually over several years
Epidermolysis bullosa, an auto-immune disease
Idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura, may cause large contusions due to little or no injury
Hemophilia-clotting disorders with possible subcutaneous hemorrhage, often around joints
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome-congenital disorder resulting in improper collagen formation
Menke's Syndrome-genetic disorder of copper metabolism resulting in friable hair

This listing is not meant to be all-inclusive, but is designed as a general guideline to the proper identification of child abuse or neglect. Clinicians are encouraged to seek additional information that will lead to proper diagnosis of suspected abuse or neglect.

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P.A.N.D.A

Warning Signs