ABSTRACT
Physical abuse can be suspected and identified on occasions, not as a direct result of finding an injury, but by the actions and general behaviour of the parents or carers at the time of the finding, and the circumstances surrounding the cause of the injury. Burns and scalds on the child’s body in unlikely places are usually the result of physical abuse. On babies and young children, black eyes are commonly caused through physical abuse. Violence is pervasive and the physical abuse of children frequently coexists with domestic violence. If bruises of different colours appear in the same area of a child’s body and appear to be overlapping each other, it is likely that the child is suffering repeated physical abuse. A child with a broken bone may walk and stand without an obvious display of injury or pain, but is unlikely to be able to sit without showing signs of discomfort.
