If you suspect your child has been sexually abused, you may have already seen some of the warning signs. Sexual abuse of children is reported 80,000 times a year in the U.S., according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, making it an all-too-frequent problem. It is every parent's responsibility to watch for and immediately question any indications of abuse.
Self-Injury and Eating Disorders
An adolescent who has been sexually abused is at high risk for self-harm, anorexia, bulimia and compulsive eating. The fear of intimacy inherent in an abused child may necessitate the building of a wall around himself, and self-injurious behaviors do just that. If a child's entire life is wrapped up in compulsive behaviors, there is no time or energy left to contemplate or feel the feelings resulting from abuse. Mary Anne Cohen, the director of The New York Center for Eating Disorders, states that 40 to 60 percent of those who enter treatment for eating disorders have been physically or sexually abused. Those who self-injure are notoriously secretive about it. If your child always wears wristbands or stacks of bracelets, long sleeves in hot weather or layers of oversized clothing, it may be indicative of self-injurious or eating-disordered behavior.
Inappropriate Sexual Behavior
A promiscuous teen or a young child who uses explicit words for sexual behavior may be acting out as a result of abuse. Excessive masturbation, asking questions about specific sex acts, or age-inappropriate sex play with friends, siblings, toys or pets may indicate that abuse has occurred. Thinking of the body as dirty or bad may go along with these behaviors. A child who has been sexually abused may report sexually-themed dreams or nightmares from which he may wake up screaming or sweating. Paying close attention to your child's feelings about her body, the bodies of others and the words she uses to describe them can help you recognize and stop abuse.
Physical Symptoms
A child who has been sexually abused may exhibit a number of physical symptoms, such as urinary tract or yeast infections. Difficulty urinating or defecating, or bloody urine or stool, should be taken very seriously. Loss of bowel or bladder control can occur, as in the case of chronic bedwetting. Eating may become difficult; the child may gag or complain of painful swallowing. Symptoms of genital infection include unpleasant odors and abnormal dilation of the anus or vagina. Even recurrent ear infections can be a sign of abuse, as bacteria can gather at the back of the throat or nose when a child is forced to perform oral sex.
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