About 1 in 4 children experience a traumatic event by the time they are 18 years old. Traumatic events can be life threatening and are bigger than what your child should ever have to experience.
Learn what to watch for in your child and how to take care of your child after a traumatic event. Get professional help if your child is not recovering.
Your child could experience a one-time traumatic event or a repeated trauma that happens over and over again.
Examples of one-time traumatic events are:
Examples of traumatic events that your child experiences over and over are:
Your child may be having emotional reactions and feels:
Your child may also be having physical problems like:
Your child may also be reliving the event:
About half of children who survive traumatic events will show signs of PTSD. Every child’s symptoms are different. In general, your child may have:
Your child may also go back to behaviors they had outgrown:
Let your child know that they are safe and that you are in control.
Let your child know that you are there for them.
Monitor information that your child is getting about an event. Turn off the TV news and limit your conversations about events in front of young children.
There is no one way that children recover after traumatic events. Expect that your child should go back to their usual activities over time.
If your child is still having trouble recovering after one month, get professional help. Your child will learn how to:
Let teachers know about traumatic events in your child’s life. Keep open communication about changes in your child’s behavior.
Levetown M. Communicating with children and families: from everyday interactions to skill in conveying distressing information. Pediatrics. 2008;121:e1441-e1460.
Updated by: Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M. Health Solutions, Ebix, Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 1997-2012, A.D.A.M., Inc. Duplication for commercial use must be authorized in writing by ADAM Health Solutions.