Recognizing Daycare Abuse

Many parents have found that they need to put their young children in day care in order to ensure that they are safe while the parents are at work. Many day care centers provide competent care for the children who stay with them on a daily basis. Unfortunately, there are any number of cases of abuse of children in both schools and daycare centers. The biggest danger here is not the abuse itself but that it can go undetected because the children are either too scared to tell someone of their abuse or too young to communicate the abuses. Children are in danger of physical abuse, sexual abuse, general neglect, and lack of supervision.

Recognizing abuse in a child can be somewhat difficult. Some of the signs may not be from abuse but may be due to an unpleasant event with another child in the daycare facility. If one suspects that his or her child’s daycare is abusive, it is important to be on the lookout for both physical symptoms and behavioral changes. If these things are noticed, it is important to talk to the child if he or she is old enough to communicate effectively. If not, other methods of gleaning information may be necessary, including talking with other parents.

Some physical symptoms of abuse include crying or fighting to avoid daycare, scared behavior when not in daycare, and unusual or multiple bruises without a viable explanation. All of these things can be the result of actual abuse or experiences with other children in the daycare.

The emotional symptoms associated with abuse at daycare include a general lack of affection, extremely varied behaviors, a general decrease in the amount of communication from the child, and acting in a way that is either far too mature for the child or far too much like a child. Other symptoms include a delay in physical or emotional development and inexplicable headaches or stomachaches timed to avoid daycare.

If abuse is suspected, it is important to act swiftly in putting an end to the suspicious behaviors.

Contact a Cincinnati Personal Injury Lawyer

If your child has been subjected to abuse or neglect while in daycare, contact a Cincinnati personal injury attorney from Stepleton Dugan, LLC at 513-321-7733 to discuss your case and to determine your legal options.