Child Physical Abuse

Child physical abuse occurs when a child is injured due to intentional or unintentional acts by a caregiver and includes injuries from hitting, kicking, punching, biting, throwing, shaking, stabbing, choking, burning, or any other act that physically harms a child. The acts may be unintentional in that the parent may not have purposely hurt the child, but nonetheless an injury occurred. Child abuse and neglect is defined in federal law in the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act or CAPTA (42 U.S.C.A. §5106g), amended by the Keeping Children and Families Safe Act of 2003, as at a minimum: “Any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation; or an act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm.” Individual state statutory definitions of physical abuse are derived from the federal definition of child abuse and neglect and vary, but most states' definitions of physical abuse include a statement that the act resulted in some type of physical injury or mark on the child. For example, it is within a caregiver's rights to spank a child, but if this disciplinary technique leaves physical marks, it is considered physical abuse. Researchers estimate that approximately 20% of all maltreatment cases can be categorized as physical abuse. Neglect comprises about 60%, sexual abuse about 10%, and emotional maltreatment and other forms make up the balance of all maltreatment cases.

Evaluation of physical abuse should consider a careful examination of the circumstances surrounding the event, the family history, and family and community culture. More specifically, evaluation considers the following:

• What harm occurred to the child?
• What is the child's age and developmental level?
• Were the acts or behaviors based upon lack of information, or carelessness, or were they intentional?
• What were the circumstances surrounding the event and/or behaviors?
• What is the child's interpretation of the event and/or behaviors?
• What are the community and family standards and practices regarding the event?
• What is the caregiver and family history regarding similar events and risk factors?

Physical abuse can be categorized into subtypes that correspond to the type of injury experienced by the child. The major subtypes are discussed next.