TY - CHAP M1 - Book, Section TI - Chapter 42. Child Maltreatment A1 - Bernet, William A2 - Ebert, Michael H. A2 - Loosen, Peter T. A2 - Nurcombe, Barry A2 - Leckman, James F. Y1 - 2008 N1 - T2 - CURRENT Diagnosis & Treatment: Psychiatry, 2e AB - The legal definitions regarding child maltreatment vary from state to state. In general, neglect is the failure to provide adequate care and protection for children. It may involve failure to feed the child adequately, provide medical care, provide appropriate education, or protect the child from danger. Physical abuse is the infliction of nonaccidental injury by a caretaker. It may take the form of beating, punching, kicking, biting, or other methods. The abuse can result in injuries such as broken bones, internal hemorrhages, bruises, burns, and poisoning. Cultural factors should be considered in assessing whether the discipline of a child is abusive or normative. Sexual abuse of children refers to sexual behavior between a child and an adult or between two children when one of them is significantly older or more dominant. The sexual behaviors include the following: touching breasts, buttocks, and genitals, whether the victim is dressed or undressed; exhibitionism; fellatio; cunnilingus; penetration of the vagina or anus with sexual organs or with objects; and pornographic photography. Emotional abuse occurs when a caretaker causes serious psychological injury by repeatedly terrorizing or berating a child. When serious, it is often accompanied by neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and exposure to domestic violence. SN - PB - The McGraw-Hill Companies CY - New York, NY Y2 - 2024/03/29 UR - accessmedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=3291295 ER -