THE AVERAGE AGE OF THE BATTERED CHILD IS 18.5 MONTHS. BOYS AND GIRLS ARE JUST AS LIKELY TO BE BEATEN IF UNDER THE AGE OF 5. IF OVER THE AGE OF 5, GIRLS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE BEATEN. THE BATTERED CHILD TYPICALLY IS LETHARGIC AND IS NOT APT TO SMILE OR MAKE SOUNDS. IN GENERAL, HE OR SHE HAS A LOWER INTELLIGENCE QUOTIENT. THE ABUSED CHILD IS ALSO LIKELY TO SHOW EXCESSIVE UNANTICIPATED VIOLENCE. OF THOSE BATTERED CHILDREN WHO DIE, MOST EITHER ARE KILLED WITHIN THE FIRST HOURS OF LIFE OR ARE KILLED AFTER THEIR ROLES IN THE FAMILY ARE ESTABLISHED. THE PARENTS OF ABUSED CHILDREN ARE CHARACTERIZED AS COMING FROM LOW SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS, ISOLATED ENVIRONMENTS, AND FROM STRESSFUL HOME SITUATIONS. SIX CAUSES OF CHILD ABUSE ARE LISTED: (1) MARITAL CONFLICT, ECONOMIC PRESSURE, OR SOCIAL ISOLATION; (2) POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION; (3) SOCIOPSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS (E.G., ALCOHOLISM, DRUG ADDICTION); (4) THE PERSONALITY OF THE PARENTS; (5) PARENTAL IGNORANCE OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT; AND (6) THE BATTERING PARENT WAS HIMSELF A BATTERED CHILD. IN THE AREA OF CHILD ABUSE MANAGEMENT, THERE HAS BEEN A RECENT TREND TOWARDS KEEPING THE FAMILY TOGETHER. DIFFERENT SETS OF OBJECTIVES FOR TREATMENT HAVE BEEN PUT FORTH BY DIFFERENT AUTHORS. ONE SUCH SET LISTS THE PROTECTION OF THE CHILD, THE TREATMENT OF THE PARENTS, AND COMBINATIONS OF THE TWO. PREVENTION EFFORTS CONCENTRATE ON EDUCATING PARENTS IN CHILDREN'S NEEDS AND DEVELOPMENT DURING AND AFTER THE NEONATAL STAGE. CONTRACEPTION AND MEDICAL CARE FOR THE MOTHERS IS ALSO STRESSED. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS PROVIDED. (MLC)