So even when we’re no longer in danger, our brains and bodies remain on high alert, releasing a cascade of stress hormones that can interfere with our ability to pay attention, sleep, or engage with others socially.” Emotionally, there may be a feeling of helplessness, loss of control, and a sense of being stuck in that mode. “But in childhood trauma, we often can’t escape the threat or return to a feeling of safety. “Major stressors put our bodies into fight/flight/freeze mode - our entire nervous system is focused on managing a threat and keeping us safe,” she says. The same is true of children and adolescents, explains Jessica Stern, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Virginia’s department of psychology. Trauma experts agree that “ the body keeps the score,” which means that when we experience a seriously distressing event, the trauma has a way of weaving its way throughout our bodies, with the after-effects of fear and stress showing up days, weeks, months, and even years later, especially if we don’t actively work on healing. What happens to the mind and body after trauma? Trauma responses can also vary by age and/or developmental stage, so it’s understandable if you want to support your little one no matter what they’ve gone through or how they’re handling it. Some potentially traumatic stressors include bullying psychological, physical, or sexual abuse and/or neglect natural disasters, terrorism, and community and school violence witnessing or experiencing intimate partner violence sexual exploitation accidents illness or injury the sudden or violent loss of a loved one refugee and war experiences and military-related experiences, such as parental deployment, loss, or injury.īut not every child reacts to every event in the same way, and in some cases, parents might not even be aware their child has had a traumatic experience. Many experiences can trigger an emotional trauma response in kids, per SAMHSA. Children of all ages can suffer from traumatic stress after experiencing a violent or dangerous physical, psychological, or emotional experience, and it can overwhelm their ability to cope and heal properly, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Try as we may, we can’t keep our little ones in a bubble and protect them from bad things happening to them - especially these days, when it can feel downright impossible to shield your child from trauma.
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