Trauma and Children

Trauma and Children

Nine year old Alyssa walked into her home from school and laid her books on the table. She had been home only ten minutes when her father broke her arm.

Nine year old Alyssa is one of billions of children who are experiencing trauma in their young lives on a daily basis. Here are some startling facts according to Childhelp.org: * fact 1: every 10 seconds a child abuse report is given to a child case agency. * fact 2: 80% of child fatalities involve at least one parent * fact 3: 14% of all men in and 36% of all women in prison in the United States were abused as children. Why are Alyssa and other children all over this planet experiencing adverse situations leading to trauma?

What is trauma in children? According to SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and 1

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Mental Health Services Administration(.gov) it defines trauma as,” “a scary, dangerous, violent, or life-threatening event that happens to a child (0 – 18 years of age).” Trauma can take many different forms. A direct attack and an indirect attack. For instance, an example of a direct attack would be an adult yelling and cursing at a young child to outright physical blows that result in broken bones. Another extreme example are the events happening in Gaza at the moment Regardless of personal opinion, according to the Aljazeera.com, it states, “6,150 children have been maimed, injured and killed since October 2023.” An indirect attack is a child being spit on or having a chair thrown at them. Trauma in children is a complex puzzle with many different pieces.

Moreover, there are types of trauma. In the table below are the top six types of trauma according to Aihw.gov.au (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare).

Six Major Types of Childhood Traumas *violence

*physical abuse

*physical neglect

*sexual abuse

*emotional abuse

*psychological abuse

There are many, many more types of traumas, especially in this age of 24 hour technology. The Aihw.gov.au also states, that “childhood traumas” are

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categorized into three major groups: Single Incident trauma, Complex Trauma and Chronic Trauma.” Let’s look at a brief explanation of each of these types of trauma. Single Incident trauma – is a usually a one tie event. Examples of this type of trauma can be a car accident, a natural disaster, loss of a loved one or a major medical condition. Chronic Trauma – is defined as repeated, prolonged traumatic events. Some examples of this type of trauma are: abuse in several forms: physical, sexual, emotional, that is intentional or unintentional and that harms a child; also included a dysfunctional home environment and neglect. In data put out by Psychmechanics.com, it states, “when parents or caregivers neglect a child, it can traumatize the child where the need for love, support and care remains unmet.” The third type of trauma in children is called Complex Trauma. This is “when a child is exposed to multiple events often of an invasive and interpersonal nature, and the wide-ranging effects of exposure.” This explanation comes from The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN). Examples of complex trauma are: abuse in any form; neglect, domestic violence, community violence – just to name a few. In a normal childhood, a child has ups and downs and has the support and guidance to discover themselves. However, the childhood of these particular children is quite different.

It’s the stuff of nightmares with lasting negative effects.

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What are the effects of trauma in children? Based on what I read, the body responds to emotional stress the same way it responds to physical stress.

Take a look at the many ways that trauma affects a child.

This is just touching the tip of the iceberg.

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In conclusion, the adverse effects that trauma has on the developing mind, body and spirit of a developing child cannot be overstated. In doing the research for this document, I was overwhelmed by the staggering amount of data on this topic. Yet there is hope. With the help of caring adults and professionals, a child and teen can be given the resources and tools they need to heal. This is essential, so that our young people can grow into the people they were meant to become.

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