RECOGNIZING PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL NEGLECT
Physical Neglect
Indicators of physical neglect include:
- Consistent hunger
- Poor hygiene (skin, teeth, ears, etc.)
- Inappropriate attire for the season
- Failure to thrive (physically or emotionally)
- Positive indication of toxic exposure, especially in newborns, such as drug withdrawal symptoms, tremors, etc.
- Delayed physical development
- Speech disorders
- Consistent lack of supervision, especially in dangerous activities or for long periods of time
- Unattended physical problems or medical or dental needs
- Chronic truancy
- Abandonment
(Clermont County CPS, 2021)
Emotional Neglect
A child may demonstrate behavioral indicators of neglect such as:
- Begging or stealing food
- Extended stays at school (early arrival or late departure)
- Constant fatigue, listlessness, or falling asleep in class
- Alcohol or other substance abuse
- Delinquency, such as shoplifting
- Reports there is no caretaker at home
- Runaway behavior
- Habit disorders (sucking, nail biting, rocking, etc.)
- Conduct disorders (antisocial or destructive behaviors)
- Neurotic traits (sleep disorders, inhibition of play)
- Psychoneurotic reactions (hysteria, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, phobias, hypochondria)
- Extreme behavior (compliant or passive, aggressive or demanding)
- Overly adaptive behavior (inappropriately adult, inappropriately infantile)
- Delays in mental and/or emotional development
- Suicide attempt
(Clermont County CPS, 2021)
A parent or guardian (other person legally responsible) exhibiting the following behavioral indicators may be emotionally maltreating/neglecting a child:
- Calls the child names
- Insults the child
- Threatens violence
- Allows the child to observe abuse of others
- Does not offer love or support
(Carey, 2018)
CASE
Beginning at age 8, Riley, the youngest of four children, has spent every other week at his father’s apartment without his siblings so that he and his father can have “one-on-one time.” When Riley’s parents divorced, and although the judge was aware that Riley’s father was possibly abusive, it was the philosophy of the court that children suffer more damage when they have no contact at all with their parents.
At age 9, Riley was developing obvious signs of anxiety, such as running away from Little League baseball games because he did not enjoy playing while people watched. His father ridiculed him and physically picked him up and put him back on the field in anger in the middle of the game. The coach tried to intervene, but the father prevailed, and Riley stood motionless in the field.
By age 10, Riley was resisting visitation with his father, and a neighbor called 911 after observing Riley’s father yelling at him and forcing him into the car, followed by Riley trying to jump out of the moving vehicle. Riley’s teacher also reported to the authorities that he arrived late to school 10 days in a row following a visitation to his father and requested to go home to his mother on a daily basis because he had a “stomach ache.”
An investigation revealed that Riley was having severe separation anxiety from his mother and siblings and that the apartment where he stayed with his father was filled with storage items, leaving little room for the child. There was no bed at the residence for Riley, who slept on a mat on the floor, nor was there food in the refrigerator. Riley’s father said that the child was “fat” and that he did not want to keep any food around for that reason.
Riley was screened in to Child Protective Services (CPS) because he was diagnosed with a severe anxiety disorder by the school psychologist. A multidisciplinary team helped Riley and his family. Riley began seeing the school counselor, and at the recommendation of CPS, his visitation schedule was amended to exclude overnights with his father. In addition, his father was ordered by the court to attend parenting classes. Riley’s symptoms improved within a few months after counseling, treatment with anti-anxiety medication, and the revised visitation schedule.