Screening: Child Abuse Child abuse is a broad term that refers
to the mistreatment of a child by another person. Legal
definitions vary from state to state, but generally include
physical abuse, sexual abuse, physical or emotional neglect, and
emotional abuse. Physical abuse is deliberate physical contact
that causes significant pain, results in injury, or jeopardizes
the child's safety. It includes hitting, kicking, biting,
shoving, shaking and burning. Sexual abuse is the involvement of
a child in any act intended for adult sexual gratification. It
includes both sexual assault (with physical contact) and sexual
exploitation. Child neglect occurs when a caretaker fails to
provide for the child's basic emotional needs or the child's
physical needs, such as food, shelter, clothing, health care and
education. It includes inadequate supervision, lack of medical
care, lack of appropriate affection and abandonment. Emotional
abuse can occur with or without other forms of abuse. It is
difficult to define or documen