Could Your Child Be Neglected or Abused by a Child Care Provider?
Allowing a stranger to care for your children can be very stressful and scary for a parent.  A parent’s worst fear is the possibility that a childcare provider could neglect or even physically or sexually abuse a child.  This fear is especially true when the child is too young to explain to a parent what is going on.  So, as parents, we must be alert and pay attention to signs that a child may be being mistreated or abused. Even older children, at the pre-school or school age, may not tell you what is happening out of fear or shame.  Knowing what to look for will make spotting abuse a lot easier.
 
Signs a child has been abused, mistreated, or neglected:

• Unchanged diaper
• Dirty hands and face
• Unusual hunger or thirst
• Unexplained bruises, scratches, pinches, etc.
• Unusually aggressive behavior exhibited by child
• Unusually withdrawn behavior exhibited by child
   

Behaviors that may point to a child being abused:

• Reluctance to go to daycare
• Unexplained injuries
• Sleep disturbances
• Flinching in response to your movements
• Becomes aggressive towards siblings or pets
• Becomes clingy or fearful around others
• Becomes shy or withdrawn
• Unusually excessive crying
   

Sexual abuse can be even harder to identify as sexual abusers are master manipulators and will often threaten their victims to keep them from speaking up. As a parent, you must be in tune with your child and pay attention to the following changes in behavior:

• Unusual anxiety and fearfulness
• Displaying inappropriate sexual behavior or knowledge
• Sleep disturbances or nightmares
• Painful urination or bowel movements
• Regression to infant-like behavior such as bedwetting or thumb sucking
• Becomes unusually shy or withdrawn
• Becomes unusually angry or aggressive
  
   

If you suspect that your child has been abused, it is essential that you act on that suspicion. An emergency room or the child’s pediatrician or primary care physician will help to examine and investigate for any signs of abuse.
 
Also, you can report abuse or neglect to the police and the Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS) immediately. In addition, you may want to contact and consult a law firm for the civil portion of the case.  At Siesky Law, we have handled child abuse cases that involve physical abuse and child molestation.  We offer free consultations that are confidential.