Preschool abuse takes many forms. The signs of abuse may differ somewhat between the different forms it takes, but there are some signs that are very common. Most of these signs are psychological. Unfortunately, none of these signs mean that abuse is definitely going on. You’ll have to rely on additional information to determine whether or not that happens to be the case.
Physical Abuse
The best person to talk to about any signs of physical abuse you see is usually a family physician. Talking to law enforcement may also be advisable, depending upon your situation. This is never an easy decision, but watch out for these signs which tend to indicate that, however hard it is to make, you’re going to have to make this difficult decision and probably soon.
Signs of Possible Physical Abuse:
- Bruising on the arms, legs, shoulders and neck
- Bruises from being struck
- Fear of being stricken
- Fear of a particular teacher or aide
- Signs of trauma in the private areas
Mental Abuse
Mental abuse is frustratingly hard to detect. A child may be subjected to brutal verbal abuse and, of course, there are no signs on their body to tell the tale. Verbal abuse and severe bullying have some pretty common psychological effects. As is the case with all psychological abuse, however, the signs from individual to individual may be different.
Some signs of possible Verbal or Mental Abuse:
- Using age-inappropriate language
- Being verbally abusive to peers/parents
- Outbursts of anger
- Fear of a particular teacher or aide
In all cases, children may be afraid to go back to the preschool or they may have outbursts of bad behavior when it’s time to go to school. There are no universal signs of abuse, however; you’ll have to use your skills as a parent to guide your conclusions.
If you suspect abuse, talk to other parents and take some other measures, as well. You may, for instance, make a point of it to show up at the preschool earlier than they expect to see what goes on when they don’t expect parents to be there.
If your child is abused, contact a preschool abuse lawyer. They might be able to help you by filing a lawsuit that could win you compensation for your child’s pain and suffering and that could help you pay for the costs of counseling and the other expenses involved with recovery.