Understanding

Child Maltreatment

Fact Sheet 2010

www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention

Why is child maltreatment a 

public health problem?

How does child maltreatment 

affect health?

Who is at risk for child 

maltreatment?

Child maltreatment includes all types of abuse and 

neglect of a child under the age of 18 by a parent, 

caregiver, or another person in a custodial role (e.g., 

clergy, coach, teacher). There are four common types 

of abuse.

•	Physical abuse is the use of physcial force, such as 

hitting, kicking, shaking, burning or other show of 

force against a child.

•	 Sexual abuse involves engaging a child in sexual acts. 

It includes fondling, rape, and exposing a child to 

other sexual activities.

•	 Emotional abuse refers to behaviors that harm a 

child’s self-worth or emotional well-being. Examples 

include name calling, shaming, rejection, withholding 

love, and threatening.

• Neglect is the failure to meet a child’s basic needs. 

These needs include housing, food, clothing, 

education, and access to medical care.

The few cases of abuse or neglect we see in the news

are only a small part of the problem. Many cases

are not reported to police or social services. What we 

do know is that:

•	 1,740 children died in the United States in 2008 from

abuse and neglect.1

•	 772,000 children were found to be victims of

maltreatment by child protective services in 2008.1

Child maltreatment has a negative effect on health. 

Abused children often suffer physical injuries including 

cuts, bruises, burns, and broken bones. In addition, 

maltreatment causes stress that can disrupt early 

brain development.2Extreme stress can harm the 

development of the nervous and immune systems.2

As a result, children who are abused or neglected are 

at higher risk for health problems as adults. These 

problems include alcoholism, depression, drug abuse, 

eating disorders, obesity, high-risk sexual behaviors, 

smoking, suicide, and certain chronic diseases.3,4

Some factors can increase the risk for abuse or neglect.

The presence of these factors does not always mean 

that maltreatment will occur. Children are never to 

blame for the harm others do to them. 

Age. Children under 4 years of age are at greatest risk

for severe injury and death from abuse.

Family environment. Abuse and neglect can occur in 

families where there is a great deal of stress. The stress 

can result from a family history of violence, drug or 

alcohol abuse, poverty, and chronic health problems. 

Families that do not have nearby friends, relatives, and 

other social support are also at risk.

Community. On-going violence in the community may 

create an environment where child abuse is accepted. 
How can we prevent 

child maltreatment?

How does CDC approach 

prevention?

Where can I learn more?

Understanding Child Maltreatment

For more information, please contact:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Center for Injury Prevention and Control

1-800-CDC-INFO • www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention • cdcinfo@cdc.gov 

The ultimate goal is to stop child maltreatment before it 

starts. Strategies that support parents and teach positive

parenting skills are very important. Positive parenting 

skills include good communication, appropriate 

discipline, and responding to children’s physical 

and emotional needs. Programs to prevent child 

maltreatment also improve parent-child relationships 

and provide parents with social support.

Programs for parents can take many different forms. 

They may occur in parents’ homes, in schools, in medical 

or mental health clinics, or in other community settings. 

Programs may involve one-on-one or group sessions. 

To report abuse or get help, contact the National Child 

Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453).

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

www.cdc.gov/injury

Children’s Bureau, Administration for Children 

and Families

www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb

Child Welfare Information Gateway

www.childwelfare.gov

FRIENDS National Resource Center

www.friendsnrc.org

National Scientific Council on the Developing Child

www.developingchild.net

CDC uses a 4-step approach to address public health

problems like child maltreatment.

Step 1: Define the problem

Before we can prevent child maltreatment, we need to 

know how big the problem is, where it is, and whom it 

affects. CDC learns about a problem by gathering and

studying data. These data are critical because they help 

decision makers send resources where they are needed 

most.

Step 2: Identify risk and protective factors

It is not enough to know that child maltreatment 

is affecting a certain group of children in a certain 

area. We also need to know why. CDC conducts and

supports research to answer this question. We can then 

develop programs to reduce or get rid of risk factors.

Step 3: Develop and test prevention strategies

Using information gathered in research, CDC develops

and evaluates strategies to prevent child maltreatment.

References

1. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Children,

Youth, and Families. Child Maltreatment 2008 [online]. Washington (DC):

Government Printing Office; 2010. [cited 2010 Apr 8]. Available from: www.acf.

hhs.gov.

2. National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. Excessive stress disrupts

the architecture of the developing brain, Working Paper No. 3 [online]. 2005

[cited 2008 Feb 20]. Available from: www.developingchild.net.

3. Felitti V, Anda R, Nordenberg D, Williamson D, Spitz A, Edwards V, et al.

Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the 

leading causes of death in adults. American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

1998;14(4):245–58.

4. Runyan D, Wattam C, Ikeda R, Hassan F, Ramiro L. Child abuse and neglect by

parents and caregivers. In: Krug E, Dahlberg LL, Mercy JA, Zwi AB, Lozano

R, editors. World Report on Violence and Health. Geneva, Switzerland: World

Health Organization; 2002. p. 59–86.

Step 4: Ensure widespread adoption

In this final step, CDC shares the best prevention

strategies. CDC may also provide funding or technical

help so communities can adopt these strategies. 

For a list of CDC activities, see www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/

pub/PreventingCM.html.