Trauma and Children
Trauma is the serious injury to a person’s physical or emotional state as a result of an accident, violence or some other anticipated situation. Physical trauma alters the body in a serious way. Psychological trauma typically occurs as the mind is overwhelmed by the frightening thoughts and painful feelings associated with an event(s). Psychological trauma can also produce extreme behavior; such as intense fear, helplessness, withdrawal or detachment, lack of concentration, irritability, sleep disturbance, aggression, hyper vigilance (intensely watching for more distressing events), or flashbacks (sense that the traumatic event is reoccurring).
How does a child handle trauma? There are two ways of handling an upsetting experience. Ideally, the child will go through the memories, thoughts and feelings over and over, little by little, until the brain makes sense of the experience and the thoughts are no longer as disturbing or powerful. However, some experiences are so upsetting and overwhelming;the child tries to push the thoughts out of the way. This strategy may provide temporary relief, but when the memory is not worked through, it maintains its disturbing power. Unfortunately, the more the child avoids facing the memory, the more it will impact their thoughts and eventually their behavior.
Some children experience complex trauma,or exposure to multiple traumatic events or prolongedexposure to overwhelming situations, which ultimately impacts their development. These children may also have lived in situations where adults were not able to create a haven of safety and security, which ultimately impacts the child’s ability to create healthy relationships in the future. Often the exposure to complex trauma also impacts the child’s ability to regulate their emotions effectively.
When a child experiences a traumatic event or loss, it may be possible to notice some changes. Changes could be seen in the child’s attitude, mood, or behavior. Children's natural feelings of sadness, fear, anger, guilt, and helplessness can be expressed in a variety of ways, some of which might not seem to make sense. One child may argue more, become clingy, have trouble getting to sleep, and have bad dreams. Another child might react completely differently, becoming quiet, withdrawn, anxious, angry, irritable and sad.
References:
Child Trauma Institute:
National Institute of Mental Health:
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network: