How is child physical abuse defined?

• A. Physical injury inflicted on a child by other than accidental means
• B. Non-physical abuse
• C. Emotional neglect
• D. Exposure to violence

Answer: (A)

Physical abuse of a child is the intentional physical injury inflicted on a child by other than accidental means. The key idea is that the harm is not accidental and comes from another person, often someone in a caregiving or household role. This distinguishes it from injuries that happen by chance or typical accidents, as well as from other forms of harm like emotional neglect, non-physical abuse, or exposure to violence, which do not center on deliberate physical harm. In practice, investigators consider whether the injury could plausibly occur by accident and whether the history fits the harm, looking for signs such as injuries that don’t match the explanation or patterns of repeated harm.