Behavioral indicators of child maltreatment

While dentists as a group may be sufficiently knowledgeable of the physical signs of child abuse and neglect, many are unaware of the associated behavioral indicators presented by the maltreated child. The beliefs, feelings, and attitudes, as well as the specific behavior of such children, are discussed, along with behavioral peculiarities of the abusive adult. The longer a child is abused or neglected, the greater the impact is on his physical, emotional, and intellectual development. Integrating observations of the physical and behavioral indicators exhibited by the child, the behavior of the parent, and the interaction of parent and child will enable dentists to diagnose properly and report suspected cases of child maltreatment.