Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Children
Post-traumatic stress disorder in children can be heartbreaking for parents who are witnessing a child's persistent emotional distress. This disorder typically affects adults, but children and adolescents can develop post-traumatic stress disorder too.
Experts have not been able to pinpoint the exact cause of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, in children or adults. But, they do know that any horrific event can trigger the symptoms of PTSD in children.
Some of these triggers may include:
- Having one's life threatened or seeing someone else's life threatened
- Natural disasters, including hurricanes and earthquakes
- House fires or explosions
- Being involved in or witnessing a bad accident or knowing an accident victim
- Child abuse or neglect
- Sexual abuse
- Divorce
- Death of parent or other loved one
- Witnessing a terrible event unfold live on TV or watching repeated news broadcasts about the event
When children experience a catastrophic event indirectly or if a relative or friend dies, they normally can overcome the sadness, fear or anger with time and by engaging in normal activities with their family members, friends, teachers, and others. Children, like adults, have internal coping mechanisms and they are emotionally very resilient.
But, if a child experiences repeated trauma, such as abuse or neglect, or is directly involved in an accident or major catastrophe, the child may develop symptoms of PTSD. Symptoms of PTSD in children may include anxiety, agitation, confusion, intrusive memories, recurring nightmares, feelings of helplessness, depression, sleep loss or sleeping too much, change in appetite, weight loss or gain, or complaining of stomach pain or headaches and other physical symptoms.
Additionally, children may engage in "play acting" behaviors that attempt to repeat the event, avoid places or situations that remind them of the occurrence, develop emotional numbing to block feelings, have angry outbursts, express a fear of dying, and/or lose interest in enjoyable activities, such as sports, play, music, TV, movies, and friends.
Parents who suspect that their child is experiencing the symptoms of PTSD should react quickly ans seek PSTD treatment. Early intervention, including encouraging the child to talk about his or her feelings, is extremely important. See your pediatrician if the above symptoms persist. He can recommend a mental health professional with special knowledge of PTSD in children. The counselor may recommend family therapy, play therapy, behavior modification, and possibly medication to ease your child's fears and worries.
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