More Symptoms

Okay, so when a child is sexually abused, there are many symptoms that may come up. I am going to mark the ones that she has displayed and still displays in bold.
There are various lists of possible physical and behavioral indicators of child sexual abuse, some of which are:

• Waking up during the night sweating, screaming or shaking with nightmares.
  
• Masturbating excessively.
  
• Showing unusually aggressive behavior toward family members, friends, toys, and pets.
  
• Complaining of pain while urinating or having a bowel movement, or exhibiting symptoms of genital infections such as offensive odors, or symptoms of a sexually transmitted disease.
  
• Having symptoms indicating evidence of physical traumas to the genital or anal area.
  
• Beginning wetting the bed.
  
• Experiencing a loss of appetite or other eating problems, including unexplained gagging.
  
• Showing unusual fear of a certain place or location.
  
• Developing frequent unexplained health problems.
  
• Engaging in persistent sexual play with friends, toys or pets. She has done this as well, but it would not be considered persistent at all.
  
• Having unexplained periods of panic, which may be flashbacks from the abuse.
  
• Regressing to behaviors too young for the stage of development they already achieved.
  
• Initiating sophisticated sexual behaviors.
  
• Indicating a sudden reluctance to be alone with a certain person.
  
• Engaging in self-mutilations, such as sticking themselves with pins or cutting themselves.
  
• Withdrawing from previously enjoyable activities, like school or school performance change.
  
• Asking an unusual amount of questions about human sexuality.

(By Kathy Smedley, Licensed Professional Counselor, a Licensed Marriage, Family Therapist, and Program Director for the Northeast Texas Children's Advocacy Center.)
Found on this site: http://www.protectkids.com/abuse/abusesigns.htm

The person that did this to her, acted like they were boyfriend and girlfriend, and I think that is why she hasn't shown a lot of "symptoms." She felt like she "loved" him and sometimes she still does. She is in counseling, and will be for a while, I'm sure.

If you notice any of these signs with your child, please ask them bluntly if someone has touched them where they shouldn't. Make sure to talk to your kids about good touches and bad touches, and that it is okay to come to Mommy and Daddy if they are touched by someone who isn't supposed to. We did discuss good touches/bad touches with dd, but I don't think we mentioned it enough times. My regret in life, is that I didn't ask her questions when I found her masturbating on a pole (rubbing up and down on it). She was only 8, and shouldn't have been interested in doing that at all, but I didn't know.

Now on to a post about PDD-NOS. Gotta find the right info first (the fun part).