How trauma presents in Young Children
Some children are more at risk of suffering long-term effects from a traumatic event despite the best efforts of parents and teachers to support that child. Being able to identify signs of unhealthy coping are imperative for the carers of children who have experienced a traumatic event, as this will help you to provide the best possible support to that child and if necessary, seek professional assistance.
There are some typical reactions to keep an eye out for when caring for a child who has experienced a traumatic event. An increase in thinking about death and safety is one of the factors to look out for, as this is a common sign of a PTSD-like reaction to such an event. This could be an increased interest or fascination in death or persistent worries about the safety of themselves and those close to them. An example of this is in the instance of the child experiencing a fire, they may regularly think about a fire in their own home or school. Young children between the ages of 2 and 5 may display these worries by frequently talking about them and the event as well as mimicking them through play.
Another factor to pay attention to is the sleeping, eating and toileting habits of your child. A child who has experienced a trauma may display symptoms of reduced or increased sleep and appetite and disruptions in their toileting habits. Unexplained irritability or anger is another way young children react to trauma, this can be displayed through tantrums, crying and tearfulness. Increased fearfulness, commonly fear of the dark or being alone is also how young children can react to trauma, as well as increased sensitivity to loud noises like thunder. Alongside this, reverting to early behaviour (such as bed-wetting and thumb. sucking) difficulty separating from parents and difficulty concentrating are also reactions that may be displayed.
Children aged 2-5 usually respond to situations depending on how their parents react. A calm and confident parent may help a child feel secure - an anxious parent may make a child feel unsafe. In order to help your child cope with their trauma, it is important to make your child feel safe, you can do this by showing affection and reassuring them. Encouraging the child to share their feelings and following that conversation with their favourite family activity can also help them to feel safe and calm. Children can also express their feelings by drawing pictures.
The child may also need some extra support and attention. You can do this by giving extra support at bedtime by spending time talking and telling stories. Helping your child to identify their emotions and reassuring them of these is another way to give them this extra attention and will also help them better understand their emotions. Regular routines are a way to provide additional support to your child. Regular routines include things like having regular mealtimes and bedtimes. It is also useful to maintain any parts of your routine that you had before the traumatic event (such as reading before bed).
You may need to seek professional support if you find that after implementing the above you are still struggling help your child cope with their feelings after a traumatic event.