Prognosis

Specific injuries will have specific consequences. The mortality from abusive head trauma (AHT) is high. Around 20% to 30% of AHT child victims die of their injuries, and around two-thirds survive only to have significant long-term disability, including neurologic, behavioral, and cognitive sequelae.[10]​​[65] Children with AHT have a poorer outcome than children with accidental head trauma, with longer hospital stays and higher morbidity.[24][168]​​ Poor outcomes and fatalities from abusive abdominal injury are significantly higher than for accidental abdominal trauma.[169] Mortality is higher for immersion scalds than for accidental spill burns.[138][170] Of all forms of child maltreatment, neglect most commonly causes fatalities in the form of starvation, lack of necessary medical care, or lack of appropriate supervision.

Children who have been abused manifest a variety of negative outcomes as adults, including high-risk behaviors such as binge drinking, drug use, and criminal behavior.[12][171]​​[172][173] Child abuse of any form (emotional, physical, or sexual abuse, neglect) is also associated with increased mental health problems in adulthood.[10]​​ This may include depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, or antisocial personality disorder.[12][174][175]​​ Child abuse has also been associated with numerous poor adult physical health outcomes, including obesity, cancer, heart disease, and lung disease. Furthermore, there are ongoing studies evaluating epigenetic mechanisms for these physical health outcomes in adulthood from child abuse and neglect.[176]​​[177]

Abused children also have a lower educational attainment and are overrepresented among those receiving special educational support.[12][178] The long-term financial outlook for survivors of abuse is also poorer than for nonabused children.[12]

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