CHILD NEGLECT
Signs of malnutrition including:
- begging or hoarding food
- listlessness and lack of enthusiasm for play
- lethargic and tired
- pale skin
- thick, dry skin
- changing skin pigmentation
- sunken eyes
- distended belly
- thin with bony protrusions
- failure to thrive or grow
- short or underweight for age
- easily bruised
- bleeding gums
- dull lifeless hair
A child who is not being provided with adequate or appropriate food and water will show signs of malnutrition.
These include being listless and lethargic, having pale, thick and dry skin or skin pigmentation that changes, sunken eyes, a distended belly, being thin with bony protrusions, being overly short, failing to thrive or grow.
They may bruise easily and develop rashes, their gums sometimes bleed easily, and their hair can appear dull and lifeless. You might notice them begging for food, stealing or hoarding food.
You may also notice them coming into your care with little or no food in their lunchbox and when the Parent is approached they will feign forgetfulness or claim “there’s nothing wrong with the lunch I’ve provided, that’s all they eat at home.”
A child doesn’t have to be without food to be malnourished – just be without the right food. Usually in a house of neglect nothing happens by design – so there may not be set dinner times or regular meals cooked. Children often fend for themselves in order to eat and this usually means food with little nutritional value - cheap and easy meals such as noodles, canned foods, and packet foods.