Possible Sexual Abuse Indicators
Children may go through some of these stages during maturation, however, if two or more of these symptoms appear simultaneously, investigate:
- Personality change
- Outgoing child becomes clingy
- Changes in toilet training habits, or excessive trips to the bathroom
- Signs of being uncomfortable with someone formerly trusted
- Child withdraws into self
- Moody, excessive crying
- Change in eating and sleeping habits
- Increased activity (getting involved in a lot of activities through school, church, etc.) to avoid being at home
- Behavior problems
- Unusual shyness
- Sudden unfounded fears
- Child has unusual need for your approval or reassurance
- Child shows excessive interest in own or other people's private zone
- Social skills change, child reverts back to younger behavior
- Child wants to take extra baths or no baths at all