Child abuse

Child abuse is the physical, sexual, or emotional abuse or neglect of a child by a caregiver or another person. It can cause immediate harm and lasting effects on health and development.

Child maltreatment: Child maltreatment is abuse or neglect that harms or risks harming a person under 18. This broader term groups abuse with neglect and is used in public health and policy.
Risk factors for child maltreatment: Risk factors for child maltreatment are conditions associated with increased likelihood of abuse or neglect. They help explain patterns of risk without making maltreatment inevitable or excusing perpetrators.
Child abuse reporting: Child abuse reporting is the communication of suspected maltreatment to authorities designated to assess child safety. Reporting can initiate assessment, though duties and thresholds vary by jurisdiction.
Complex post-traumatic stress disorder: Complex post-traumatic stress disorder is a trauma-related condition involving persistent symptoms and difficulties with self-organization. Prolonged or repeated maltreatment can contribute to complex trauma symptoms.
Accidental injury: Accidental injury is bodily harm caused unintentionally by an event or mishap. Distinguishing accident from inflicted injury requires context, examination, and careful evidence.
Child neglect: Child neglect is a caregiver’s failure to meet a child’s basic needs or protect the child from harm. Neglect is a distinct form of maltreatment, not simply an absence of physical violence.
Protective factors against child maltreatment: Protective factors are individual, family, and community conditions that reduce the likelihood or effects of maltreatment. They show how support and stable relationships can buffer risks and strengthen safety.
Child protective services: Child protective services are government agencies that investigate reports of child abuse and arrange protective interventions. These agencies make safety assessments and coordinate services when maltreatment is suspected.
Toxic stress: Toxic stress is prolonged activation of the stress response without adequate supportive relationships. Chronic maltreatment can sustain stress responses that affect developing biological systems.
Munchausen syndrome by proxy: Munchausen syndrome by proxy is a psychiatric term historically used for caregivers who fabricate or induce illness in another person. Fabricated or induced illness is a specific form of abuse, not a synonym for child abuse.

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