A nurse is discussing risk factors for child maltreatment with a newly licensed nurse. Which of the following examples should the nurse include?

Child maltreatment risk factors include child-related, caregiver-related, and environmental factors that increase vulnerability to abuse or neglect. Children with chronic illnesses, developmental disabilities, or physical impairments often require increased care and supervision, which can increase caregiver stress and dependency. These factors may heighten the risk of neglect or abuse in some caregiving environments. Nurses must recognize these risk factors to support early identification and prevention of maltreatment. Rationale: A. A child conceived by in vitro fertilization is not considered at increased risk for child maltreatment based on conception method alone. Assisted reproductive techniques do not inherently contribute to abuse or neglect risk. Risk assessment focuses more on caregiver stressors, social factors, and child dependency rather than mode of conception. B. A toddler with atopic dermatitis does not represent a primary risk factor for child maltreatment. Chronic skin conditions may require ongoing care, they do not typically increase caregiver burden to the level associated with higher abuse risk unless severe or poorly managed in the context of other social stressors. C. A school-age child with cerebral palsy is at increased risk for child maltreatment because chronic physical disability often requires significant caregiver involvement and long-term dependency. Caregiver stress, financial burden, and increased care demands can contribute to neglect or abuse risk. Children with disabilities are consistently identified as a vulnerable population in child protection literature. D. An only child is not considered a risk factor for child maltreatment. Family size alone does not determine abuse risk, and being an only child does not inherently increase vulnerability. Risk is more closely associated with caregiver characteristics, stress levels, substance use, and environmental instability rather than birth order or family structure.