We often wonder how a child can have stress. Childhood stress related diseases are not uncommon and many are related to post traumatic events. They are then categorized as post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These are usually found one month following an injury and sometimes up to 6 months later.

PTSD is not only associated with major trauma. It is also prevalent among youngsters who experience injuries considered mild or moderate, such as bicycle accidents or falls.

An increase exposure to violent entertainment has also created a generation of stress-out children. As an adult, we know that if someone dies on a television show, the actor isn’t really dead. Experience tells us that, but children do not have that experience. Children have a difficult time separating fact from fiction. For example, why can you read the same book over and over again to your little ones? Because they have not developed the cognitive skills to understand that, no matter how many times you read the same story, the ending will be the same.

What is PTSD?

According to the Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Alliance, PTSD is a complex health condition that can develop in response to a traumatic experience. The trauma can be life threatening or an extremely distressing situation that causes the person to feel intense fear. The younger the child, the more likely he or she is to develop PTSD. This is mainly due to cognitive growth. The world of a child is very small. Everything must be processed through a filter of learned experiences. If those experiences are limited because of age, children have less to work with.

Symptoms of PTSD include reliving the event or events, restlessness, rage and always being ‘on guard’.

There are not only emotional ramifications but physical ones as well. These symptoms include neck pain, headaches, muscle soreness, and fatigue. Some more serious symptoms to be aware of are the following and may require attention from a mental-health practitioner:

• teeth grinding
• frequent nightmares
• difficulty sleeping
• eating disorders
• fear of dark, familiar places or being left alone
• inability to concentrate
• altered moods: quiet child becomes aggressive, or aggressive child withdrawing
• regressive behavior such as thumb sucking or bed wetting

There ways we can help children with these problems. Children thrive on routine. When that routine is shaken or altered, so are they. Following a trauma, it is important to be more affectionate, discuss the feelings of the event, watch a silly movie together, watch less television and engage in board games or family game night, be patient, let them know that it is common to feel afraid sometimes and stick to a routine.

Children are not as strong as us and we need to be there to comfort and guide them to a healthy adult lifestyle. This can be done with love, patience and kindness.

Until next time,