It is possible that the physical injuries inflicted on a child may not be visible immediately. However, abuse and neglect often have consequences for the family, children, and society as a whole. The impacts could last forever. Physical, psychological, and social consequences go hand in hand.
Physical effects of abuse might be minor and include bruises or cuts. They could also be severe and include excessive loss of blood, broken bones, and more severely, death. While the effects are sometimes temporary, they cause a lot of pain and suffering to the victim. The long-term effects are a matter of concern.
Shaking a baby is a form of abuse. The effect could be eye or brain bleeding. It could also result in spinal cord damage and bone fractures. Impairment to brain development is another effect that cannot be ignored. Parts of the brain fail to grow properly. The long-term result is disabilities involving language, cognitive skills, and academics. Adults that might have been physically abused in their childhood are likely to experience physical illnesses like arthritis and allergy, asthma and ulcers among other things.
Psychological effects immediately after physical abuse are often fear, isolation, and mistrust. These have long-term impact like low self-esteem, difficulties relating, and depression. Poor mental, as well as emotional health, has been associated with an abusive childhood. Physical abuse could result in panic disorders, hyperactivity, anger, and even attempts at suicide.
Sexual abuse on the other hand is associated with mental disorders in adulthood. While this is not given much attention, sexual abuse in children could result in low economic status in the future. The impact is mostly on women and they are also found to have a partner of low occupations in society. This is a result of low self-esteem as the abused understand themselves to have low value.
Sexual adjustment also proves a hurdle for sexually abused children later in life. They have low sexual esteem and women especially lack any satisfaction in sexual relationships. Bagley and Ramsey add that besides, in an effort to find love and affection, victims get into early marriages and get pregnant at a much earlier age. It is also a reflection of an inadequate home environment. Some of these early marriages do not last long. The greater problem is sexually transmitted diseases and in later age, multiple partners and sexual revictimization.
Sexually abused children get problems building trust in other people and view the world as unsafe. This is just like is the case with those that are physically abused. In later life, the person may feel insecure and have a disorganized attachment in any relationship they attempt to have. The relationships they get into break down faster than they are begun. Child sexual abuse like any other abuse causes low self-esteem and a sense of pessimism and fatalism.
The biggest impact is on mental health here too. Victims suffer depressive symptoms and anxiety in addition to post-traumatic stress disorders. More often than not there are eating disorders and increased abuse of the substance. This is especially so with women who are undergoing medical treatment for the trauma they suffered following sexual assault.