The world - may think the world is very dangerous. Others – may have trouble trusting others change what they expect of others. Self – may blame self or have a negative self view. These beliefs can have a negative impact on their development and future. Examples might include: Children and youth may start to believe things that are untrue or unhelpful after a traumatic event. Children and youth may attend school less, do less homework, or not be able to focus. They may not seem upset, but this may be how they are reacting to the trauma. Younger children may act out the event, or something connected to the event, in their play or art. Sadly, those children and youth are often missed and do not get the support they need. They try to be “perfect” or behave like “mini parents”. After a trauma, some children and youth become “over-functioning”. Some children have setbacks in learned skills, such as toilet training. They may engage in risky activities, use substances, self-injure or be more aggressive. They may also avoid specific activities or people that remind them of the traumatic event. Children and youth may begin to avoid people and activities they enjoyed before. Children and youth can have intense emotional reactions to sudden memories (“flashbacks”), nightmares or reminders related to the traumatic event. For example, a young child might become clingy or throw tantrums a teenager might want to be alone or argue and defy you. These changes can look very different depending on how old the child is. They may seem more anxious, sad, irritable or even numb or detached. Emotional changes caused by a trauma can vary. After the trauma, watch your child or youth for possible signs of trauma, listed below. The initial shock from the trauma may last quite long and your child may not start processing and reacting for some time. If you notice these features following a potentially traumatic event, consider seeking supports. If you are a caregiver who has only become involved after the traumatic event, it may not be easy to know to what extent these features are new or possibly trauma-related. These reactions can start right after the trauma, or months or even years later. Trauma responses may also change over time. There can be a wide range of reactions to a trauma depending on the child or youth and the traumatic event. Parents and family members can explore options that attend to their own mental wellness, including but not limited to: counselling, medical care, peer support, engaging with community and culture, and practicing self-care. It’s easiest to support children and youth through trauma if their caregivers are also well supported. Either way, traumatic experiences tend to impact the whole family. You may have experienced the trauma with your child, or they may have experienced it alone. 
However, importantly, if the disorder remains untreated, it can have a negative impact on a child or youth’s social, emotional and physical development. If the child or youth feels safe and supported, as many as 50% can heal from trauma related disorders without any formal treatment. Healing depends on many factors, including the type of trauma, the person, the larger system and environmental factors. These disorders are called trauma related disorders, and can take many forms including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
But, some develop disorders when their brains and bodies are overwhelmed and cannot cope. This means they may negatively react to events that they could once handle.Ĭhildren and youth are resilient many can heal from a traumatic event without long-lasting symptoms. Also, the more trauma someone experiences, the smaller their ‘window of tolerance’ may be. A small event to one person may be traumatic to another. The trauma is not the event that happened, but the way that the child or youth experienced it. It is important to remember that trauma affects people in different ways. Family / intimate partner violence (“domestic” violence).This is often called “intergenerational trauma”. If a caregiver or family member experienced trauma in the past, the effect of this trauma may be passed on so that a child or youth may be affected by trauma that they have not directly witnessed or experienced. Trauma can also be caused when you are exposed to traumatic events again and again. Trauma can be caused by a single event like a fire, car accident or the death of a loved one. You may be involved in that event or witness it.Įven though adults generally try to keep their children safe, research suggests that more than half of Canadian children and youth will experience a potentially traumatic event before adulthood. A trauma is an event that feels like an intense threat.
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