What most age of child trauma:
A. 7-8 yrs.
B. 5-6 yrs.
C. 2-3 yrs. ***
All children experience stressful events. In general, the term early childhood trauma refers to traumatic experiences experienced by the child aged 0 to 6 years. Infants and young children react differently than older children. In addition, they are unable to verbalize their reactions to dangerous or threatening events. It is assumed that their young age protects children from the impact of traumatic experiences. However, traumatic events also disturb young children, even if they do not understand the content.
Current research suggests that young children, and even infants, may be affected by events that threaten their safety, or that of their parents or guardians. Moreover, their symptoms are well documented. These injuries can result from intentional violence towards the child - whether physical or sexual - as well as domestic violence, natural disaster, accident or war. In addition, young children may experience traumatic stress in response to painful medical interventions, or the sudden loss of a parent or guardian.
In the adopted person, the trauma occurs as soon as it is separated from the biological mother. Whether placed at birth or at a later stage of life, each adopted child experienced the trauma to a certain degree. Until recently, the great impact of the trauma of adoption was not yet understood. Since the infant does not perceive himself as a separate entity, he is believed to consider himself a part of the person with whom he has been physically attached for 40 weeks. During separation, the infant naturally feels like losing part of himself. When the child is separated from his biological mother, he suffers extensive trauma. The adopted person will not remember this trauma, but it will fit into his subconscious as it will have lived. As a result, any event that occurred in infancy remains in the memory of a person throughout their lives.
Traumatic events have a profound sensory impact on the young child. Because the child is less able to anticipate danger or does not know how to protect themselves, the young child is more vulnerable to the effects of exposure to trauma. For example, when a young child witnesses a traumatic event, he or she may blame or blame his / her parents for failing to prevent or modify the incident. outcome. These misconceptions of reality exacerbate the negative impact of traumatic events on child development.
In today's society, a significant number of children are exposed to traumatic events before the age of 16. In the United States, for example, the rate of children witnessing community violence ranges from 39% to 85%. In addition, the rate of child victimization is 66%, and the rate of exposure of children to sexual violence is estimated at between 25% and 43%. The rates of exposure of children to disasters are lower than those related to other traumatic events. However, when disaster strikes, many young people are affected, although rates vary by region and type of disaster. In all likelihood, children and adolescents made up a substantial portion of the estimated 2.5 billion people affected by disasters around the world in the past decade.
Race and ethnicity, poverty, and gender also influence the risk of children's exposure to trauma. For example, significantly more boys than girls are exposed to traumatic events in the context of community violence. In addition, serious injuries affect boys, children living in poverty and Aboriginal youth disproportionately.
In most cases, children and adolescents are exposed to more than one traumatic event. The child who suffers chronic and invasive trauma is particularly vulnerable to the impact of subsequent trauma. After exposure to a traumatic event, short-term distress manifests itself almost universally. Almost all children and adolescents express some form of distress, or exhibit behavioral changes during the acute recovery phase following a traumatic event. Reactions to short-term trauma are not all problematic. Some changes in behavior may reflect an attempt to adapt to a difficult or demanding experience.
Symptoms and behaviors of childhood trauma:
Like the older child, the young child exhibits physiological and behavioral symptoms as a result of trauma. Unlike the older child, however, the young child can not transpose his emotions into words, but his behaviors provide important clues as to his level of disturbance.
The young child who experiences trauma is at particular risk because of the high vulnerability of his brain, which develops rapidly at this age. In fact, early childhood trauma has been linked to a reduction in the size of the cerebral cortex. This region is responsible for several complex functions, including memory, attention, perceptual sensitivity, thought, language and consciousness. These changes can affect the intelligence quotient and the ability to regulate emotions. In addition, the child may become more fearful and lose his sense of security or protection.
The survival and protection of young children, both physical and emotional, depend exclusively on their parents or guardians. When an injury also affects the parent or guardian, it has a profound impact on the relationship with the child. Without the support of a parent or guardian whom he trusts and who helps him regulate his intense emotions, the child becomes overwhelmed by stress, but is not yet able to communicate his feelings or needs effectively. . Often, he suffers from symptoms that remain invisible to his parents or guardians.
In general, a child with symptoms of traumatic stress has difficulty regulating their behavior and emotions. He shows excessive dependence and fears new situations; he is easily frightened and difficult to console. In addition, he adopts aggressive and / or impulsive behaviors. He may also have trouble sleeping, losing newly acquired developmental skills, and regressing in function and behavior.
The following is a list of possible reactions in children aged 0 to 6 and adolescents with traumatic stress.
All children experience stressful events. In general, the term early childhood trauma refers to traumatic experiences experienced by the child aged 0 to 6 years. Infants and young children react differently than older children. In addition, they are unable to verbalize their reactions to dangerous or threatening events. It is assumed that their young age protects children from the impact of traumatic experiences. However, traumatic events also disturb young children, even if they do not understand the content.
Current research suggests that young children, and even infants, may be affected by events that threaten their safety, or that of their parents or guardians. Moreover, their symptoms are well documented. These injuries can result from intentional violence towards the child - whether physical or sexual - as well as domestic violence, natural disaster, accident or war. In addition, young children may experience traumatic stress in response to painful medical interventions, or the sudden loss of a parent or guardian.
In the adopted person, the trauma occurs as soon as it is separated from the biological mother. Whether placed at birth or at a later stage of life, each adopted child experienced the trauma to a certain degree. Until recently, the great impact of the trauma of adoption was not yet understood. Since the infant does not perceive himself as a separate entity, he is believed to consider himself a part of the person with whom he has been physically attached for 40 weeks. During separation, the infant naturally feels like losing part of himself. When the child is separated from his biological mother, he suffers extensive trauma. The adopted person will not remember this trauma, but it will fit into his subconscious as it will have lived. As a result, any event that occurred in infancy remains in the memory of a person throughout their lives.
Traumatic events have a profound sensory impact on the young child. Because the child is less able to anticipate danger or does not know how to protect themselves, the young child is more vulnerable to the effects of exposure to trauma. For example, when a young child witnesses a traumatic event, he or she may blame or blame his / her parents for failing to prevent or modify the incident. outcome. These misconceptions of reality exacerbate the negative impact of traumatic events on child development.
In today's society, a significant number of children are exposed to traumatic events before the age of 16. In the United States, for example, the rate of children witnessing community violence ranges from 39% to 85%. In addition, the rate of child victimization is 66%, and the rate of exposure of children to sexual violence is estimated at between 25% and 43%. The rates of exposure of children to disasters are lower than those related to other traumatic events. However, when disaster strikes, many young people are affected, although rates vary by region and type of disaster. In all likelihood, children and adolescents made up a substantial portion of the estimated 2.5 billion people affected by disasters around the world in the past decade.
Race and ethnicity, poverty, and gender also influence the risk of children's exposure to trauma. For example, significantly more boys than girls are exposed to traumatic events in the context of community violence. In addition, serious injuries affect boys, children living in poverty and Aboriginal youth disproportionately.
In most cases, children and adolescents are exposed to more than one traumatic event. The child who suffers chronic and invasive trauma is particularly vulnerable to the impact of subsequent trauma. After exposure to a traumatic event, short-term distress manifests itself almost universally. Almost all children and adolescents express some form of distress, or exhibit behavioral changes during the acute recovery phase following a traumatic event. Reactions to short-term trauma are not all problematic. Some changes in behavior may reflect an attempt to adapt to a difficult or demanding experience.
Symptoms and behaviors of childhood trauma:
Like the older child, the young child exhibits physiological and behavioral symptoms as a result of trauma. Unlike the older child, however, the young child can not transpose his emotions into words, but his behaviors provide important clues as to his level of disturbance.
The young child who experiences trauma is at particular risk because of the high vulnerability of his brain, which develops rapidly at this age. In fact, early childhood trauma has been linked to a reduction in the size of the cerebral cortex. This region is responsible for several complex functions, including memory, attention, perceptual sensitivity, thought, language and consciousness. These changes can affect the intelligence quotient and the ability to regulate emotions. In addition, the child may become more fearful and lose his sense of security or protection.
The survival and protection of young children, both physical and emotional, depend exclusively on their parents or guardians. When an injury also affects the parent or guardian, it has a profound impact on the relationship with the child. Without the support of a parent or guardian whom he trusts and who helps him regulate his intense emotions, the child becomes overwhelmed by stress, but is not yet able to communicate his feelings or needs effectively. . Often, he suffers from symptoms that remain invisible to his parents or guardians.
In general, a child with symptoms of traumatic stress has difficulty regulating their behavior and emotions. He shows excessive dependence and fears new situations; he is easily frightened and difficult to console. In addition, he adopts aggressive and / or impulsive behaviors. He may also have trouble sleeping, losing newly acquired developmental skills, and regressing in function and behavior.
The following is a list of possible reactions in children aged 0 to 6 and adolescents with traumatic stress.
