Written by Lipika B. Nabajya
Edited by Himanshi Shivani
As adults, we often think that any event that occurred in a child's life is just another event, and as we grow we'd overcome it. However, it is not so. While kids are resilient, they’re definitely not made of stone.
That doesn't mean your child will be emotionally broken for life. But it’s important to figure out when your child needs professional help.
Let's understand what exactly is Childhood Trauma?
Life is a long story and there are several different experiences that can contribute to trauma. Childhood trauma is an event or a series of events experienced by a child that threatens or manipulates their life or bodily integrity and overall wellbeing. Physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, for example, can be extremely traumatic for children. Events like a car accident, natural disaster (like a tsunami or a hurricane), or any medical trauma can take psychological consequences on a tender mind. Stressors like living in a dangerous neighborhood or being the victim of bullying by friends or family can be traumatic, even if it just feels like a daily life routine to an adult. Childhood trauma may or may not be directly connected to the child. For instance, watching a loved one suffer can also be extremely traumatic to the child, for example, quarreling parents. Parental divorce, for example, will likely affect the child. Exposure to social violence can also traumatize children to a great extent. However, just because an experience is upsetting, it cannot be assumed to be traumatic.
Childhood Trauma and related PTSD (Post -Traumatic Stress Disorder)
Many children come across traumatic events at one point or another in their life span. While most of them experience depression and anxiety following moderate to severe traumatic events, the majority of them do return to a normal state of mental and emotional functioning within a short period of time. Some kids are comparatively less affected by their circumstances. It differs from child to child.
PTSD is however repetitive. Children with PTSD may re-experience the trauma and damage in their minds over and over again for a longer duration. Self-isolation and distancing from anything that reminds them of the trauma and incidents or re-enacting or re-creating their trauma in their play are common among children.
Sometimes children become hyper-vigilant and keep constantly looking and searching for warning signs that something bad is going to occur again.
Children with PTSD may also display the following symptoms:
● Extreme aggression
● Anxiety and Depression
● Trust issues
● Fear of the unknown
● Feelings of isolation and loneliness
● Poor or low self-esteem
● Self-destructive and damaging behaviors
Even children without PTSD may still exhibit emotional and behavioral problems following the traumatic experiences. Here are some things:
● Anger Bursts and aggression.
● Concentration and attention problems
● Changes in appetite and eating habits
● Development of new fears and phobias
● Increased thoughts about life and death
● Irritability and loss of interest in normal activities
● Sleeping disorders
● Sadness and disinterest
● Refusal for school and social activities
● Complaints like headaches and stomachaches
Long-Term Health Consequences
Childhood trauma may also manifest in physical ailments like Asthma, Coronary heart disease, Depression, Diabetes, stroke.
Family support can be beneficial to reducing the impact of trauma on the child. Following are a few ways to support a child:
● Encourage your child to talk especially about his/her feelings and emotions.
● Allow them to ask questions and try to answer questions honestly.
● Reassure your child that he/she is safe.
● Keep an hour aside to play with your child every day.
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