Although there aren’t any tell-tale signs a child is being abused, young children may try to tell adults about abuse in the only ways they know how: by acting out behaviourally!

 If you see one or more of these as persistent signs in a child you know… PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION!

• Fear of going to bed – some children may fear falling asleep because they are having nightmares about being abused.
• Falling asleep in class – perhaps they don’t feel safe sleeping at night or at home
• Re-established bed wetting or a regression in other previously attained developmental milestones
• Wearing the same clothes or seasonally inappropriate clothes (long sleeves or sunglasses may be used to cover bruises) or other odd behaviours.
• The class clown – disrupting class may be a means to distract from traumatic memories & learning difficulties that arise because of trauma responses
• Children with low self-esteem and those who are isolating themselves
• The odd child that can’t relate to other children – traumatized children act in ways that only make sense when you understand trauma
•  Children bullying or picking on other kids (victims are often angry)
• Children being bullied by others often feel they deserve to be treated poorly, lack boundaries and don’t know how to stand up for themselves
•  Children experimenting sexually (re-enacting what’s been done to them)
•  Developing a newly established fear of someone or a strong dislike of someone
• They may make comments like:  “I don’t like the games they make me play” ;   “I don’t want to go to daycare” or ” Can’t you stay home with me?”
• Urinary tract infections or anal tearing
• Changes from previously enjoyed behaviours (they used to like daycare but are now afraid to go, etc.)