Facialabuse+facial+abuse+maternal+maltreatm

If you or someone you know is experiencing facial abuse, maltreatment, or maternal maltreatment, there are resources available to provide support and help:

Differentiating inflicted facial trauma from falls or play injuries is critical. Key features suggestive of maternal maltreatment include: facialabuse+facial+abuse+maternal+maltreatm

Maternal maltreatment leading to facial injuries is not always about overt rage. Postpartum depression, postpartum psychosis, factitious disorder imposed on another (formerly Munchausen by proxy), and substance use disorders can drive a mother to injure her child’s face. In a 2021 case series from Journal of Forensic Nursing , mothers under extreme duress reported targeting the face to “stop the crying” or because the child’s expression “looked like the abuser’s.” If you or someone you know is experiencing

Visible injuries or scarring can lead to social withdrawal and bullying, affecting a child's peer relationships. In a 2021 case series from Journal of

: Mothers with maltreatment histories may experience different cardiovascular changes (hyper- or hypo-arousal) when viewing their children's facial expressions compared to those without such histories.

Psychologist Lenore Walker developed the theory of the "Cycle of Abuse," which explains how abuse is often maintained in relationships. Understanding this cycle helps remove blame from the victim.