Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome In Children

When Parents leave their religion, the reaction of the young ones is often overlooked. So let’s hear some of the things you have done to make it easier on the children to adjust to this new life situation.

Gifts From God

Children love structure, so when their routine drastically changes it can upset them. Attending meetings with their friends was structure.

Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that can develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event, or learning that a traumatic event has happened to a loved one. DSM5 defines a traumatic event as exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence. Examples include:

Being involved in, or witnessing, a car accident

Undergoing major surgery (bone marrow transplant, extensive hospitalization, or severe burns)

Experiencing or witnessing natural disasters (earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, or fire)

Violent crimes (kidnapping, physical assault, or assault or murder of a parent or loved one)

Community violence (attacks at school, or suicide of a friend, family member, or a child in the same-age group)

Chronic physical or sexual abuse

Following the event, youth with PTSD report intrusive symptoms such as repetitive and upsetting memories that can present verbally, “I can’t stop hearing that crunch noise when the car hit the tree,” or acted out in play such as a child repeatedly hitting a toy car against the wall. Other intrusive symptoms include distressing and vivid night and day dreams (also called flashbacks whereby the child acts as if the events is actually happening in real time), and becoming highly distressed when exposed to reminders of the event. Youth can also avoid or try to stay away from any reminders of the event, report inability to recall significant details of the event, experience a range of negative emotions such as sadness, guilt, shame, and confusion, and lack interest or desire to participate in important activities. Finally, children and teens with PTSD also experience irritability, being jumpy or on edge, trouble concentrating, and sleep difficulties. These combined symptoms must persist for more than a month following the event to meet criteria for PTSD, although some children and teens may experience a delayed reaction to the trauma so that clear signs are not noticeable until six months or more after the event.

 

 

 

 

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