The document provides information about common post-traumatic stress reactions in children following a traumatic event and tips for parents on helping their child recover. Some key points:
1) Common initial reactions in children include sleep disturbances, anxiety, and fears, which usually diminish over time with parental support.
2) Parents can help by keeping communication open, reassuring safety, listening to the child, and allowing expression of emotions.
3) Seeking assistance is recommended if reactions are severe, prolonged, or the child seems distressed.
4) Signs like repetitive play, nightmares, or withdrawal may indicate the need for professional help.
The document provides information about common post-traumatic stress reactions in children following a traumatic event and tips for parents on helping their child recover. Some key points:
1) Common initial reactions in children include sleep disturbances, anxiety, and fears, which usually diminish over time with parental support.
2) Parents can help by keeping communication open, reassuring safety, listening to the child, and allowing expression of emotions.
3) Seeking assistance is recommended if reactions are severe, prolonged, or the child seems distressed.
4) Signs like repetitive play, nightmares, or withdrawal may indicate the need for professional help.
The document provides information about common post-traumatic stress reactions in children following a traumatic event and tips for parents on helping their child recover. Some key points:
1) Common initial reactions in children include sleep disturbances, anxiety, and fears, which usually diminish over time with parental support.
2) Parents can help by keeping communication open, reassuring safety, listening to the child, and allowing expression of emotions.
3) Seeking assistance is recommended if reactions are severe, prolonged, or the child seems distressed.
4) Signs like repetitive play, nightmares, or withdrawal may indicate the need for professional help.
If the following common reactions continue for more than a few days they should alert parents to the Posttraumatic recovery process in the following ways:
● Keep communicating: talk about what is
possibility of more serious trauma reactions and the need for further help: Stress Disorder happening and how family members feel.This ● Severe and continued sleep disturbance helps prevent children from feeling alone, ● Severe anxiety on separation from loved ones isolated and misunderstood ● Continued fears about things which may remind ● Reassure children that they are safe and will be the child of the trauma GENERAL INFORMATION cared for ● Behaviour problems at home or school ● Listen and talk to them about the experience. Honest, open discussion is best - even very ● Self-doubts, a desire for withdrawal or other significant changes in emotions or personality Trauma young children know something has happened. Like adults, the unknown is often more frightening than the reality for children ● A return to "babyish" behaviour that the child had grown out of Reactions ● Some children will need extra encouragement or special attention, especially at bedtime If you are concerned, talk to your family doctor, community health centre or school counsellor. in Children ● Allow expression of emotions - they are part You may wish to ask for a referral to a mental health of the healing process; support the child and practitioner who specialises in child trauma.The No 6 in the PTSD series of allow them time to work through it department of psychiatry in your local children’s Australian Centre brochures ● Do things as a family and make sure time is hospital is also a good source of information, support reserved for enjoyable and rewarding and treatment if required. experiences together; shared pleasure carries a family through many difficulties ● Keep family roles clear. Don't expect children To find out more about PTSD, other veteran to take too much responsibility but, equally, do and military mental health issues or the not become too overprotective. Australian Centre, please contact us at: AUSTRALIAN CENTRE FOR POSTTRAUMATIC When To Seek Assistance MENTAL HEALTH (INC.) A&RMC, 300 Waterdale Road, Heidelberg Heights Like adults, most children will adapt and grow 3081 AUSTRALIA. through crisis with the love and support of their family and friends. However, if the child's reactions Telephone: (03) 9496 2922 are particularly severe or prolonged, or if you have Facsimile: (03) 9496 2830 other concerns about the way your child is reacting Email: [email protected] to a traumatic incident, contact someone who is WebSite: www.acpmh.unimelb.edu.au trained to assess the situation and advise you. The following signs may be seen in children ● Fearfulness, especially at night or when What is PTSD? following trauma, but do not necessarily indicate separated from parents the existence of PTSD. Most are normal and will ● Sleep disturbance and nightmares resolve in time with the help of caring family ● Grizzling, whining and irritability STRESS DISORDER P OSTTRAUMATIC (PTSD) is a specific psychological reaction that may occur in response to members and friends. However, if signs are too severe or last too long, they may indicate the need for professional assistance. ASSOCIATED PROBLEMS Children may develop several associated problems the experience of traumatic events. following trauma, including: It can affect people of any age, culture RELIVING THE TRAUMA or gender. PTSD comprises three groups In traumatised children, reliving may occur in: ● Aches and pains of symptoms.The first relates to ● Bed wetting ● Repetitive play that re-enacts the trauma ● General misbehaviour and "naughtiness" re-experiencing the trauma, which can ● Distressing dreams of the event that may evolve ● Tantrums and attention seeking behaviour take the form of repetitive thoughts, into general nightmares of monsters or of ● Poor school performance, loss of motivation memories and dreams.The second group threats to self or significant others ● Sometimes, experience of trauma can result in involves avoidance of reminders, ● In cases of traumatic loss, children often report other problems in the child's development withdrawal from social interaction and experiencing "ghosts" of loved ones difficulty in responding emotionally ● Disorganised or agitated behaviour Occasionally, the onset of these problems may be to others.The third group involves ● Preoccupation with other traumatic events delayed until some time after the trauma. Often heightened arousal, with reduced sleep, these signs are misunderstood - it appears the increased jumpiness and prominent anger. AVOIDANCE AND NUMBING child is just being naughty. However, they may be While less common in children than in adults, the indicators of a traumatic stress reaction and should following signs may be present: Post Trauma Symptoms be given careful attention. in Children ● Social withdrawal and wanting to be alone ● Loss of interest in significant activities PTSD may develop in children.Their responses to ● A sense of foreshortened future: being unable How Can You Help? trauma may, however, differ in important ways to to imagine themselves as grown up ● A return to "babyish" behaviour Parental responses are very important in helping those seen in adults. Children may find it difficult to the child to cope with the aftermath of trauma. understand what has happened.They may be unable AROUSAL It is important for parents to recognise that the to describe how they are feeling and instead may Following trauma, children may become tense and child's behaviour may be part of a traumatic stress express themselves in other ways. Children frightened.This may be expressed through: response, rather than willful behaviour. It is crucial respond to trauma in a range of ways - there is no not to become angry and blame the child for this typical or "normal" reaction. Nevertheless, some ● Attention and concentration problems behaviour. responses are common. ● Clinging, dependent behaviour
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