Parents and Caretakers: Can You Recognize PTSD In Children?

April 7, 2022

An intense and violent banging blasts through the door as four-year-old Triston plays in the living room. “Boom, Boom, Boom.”

As Mom opens the door, it's their neighbor. He starts yelling loudly. So, Mother yells back and tries to shut the door.

The neighbor, still yelling in his loudest voice possible, forces the door open.

Just then the door hits Mom in the face. (Her nose starts bleeding profusely, dripping on her white dress)

Mom's face is smeared with blood, and she appears to be upset when the neighbor leaves.

If the experience has a lasting, negative impact on a Triston, what might that look like?

Tragically, PTSD can develop in anyone who has experienced a traumatic event.

This heartache is compounded tenfold when considering PTSD in children.

The most important thing to remember is this…

The main distinction between adult and childhood PTSD is that children may not have the vocabulary to express what they’re feeling.

They may act out their trauma through play or become disruptive in school. Additionally, children are more likely to blame themselves for the event that caused their PTSD.

Adults, on the other hand, are more likely to have flashbacks or intrusive thoughts about the traumatic event. They may also struggle with isolation and feelings of guilt or shame.

Now, it is true that both children and adults with PTSD may have difficulty sleeping or concentrating.

They may also feel jumpy or easily startled.

But also keep in mind that individuals can experience different symptoms, at different times.

Based on the following information, you can easily distinguish childhood PTSD from adult PTSD:

Both children and adults can experience flashbacks, nightmares, and intrusive thoughts
Both children and adults can feel isolated and alone.
Both children and adults can have difficulty sleeping or concentrating.

However, there are also some key differences between the suffering of PTSD in children and adults:

Children are more likely to act out their symptoms, while adults are more likely to isolate themselves.
Children are less likely to understand what is happening to them, while adults are more likely to have a clear understanding of their symptoms.
Children are more likely to blame themselves for what happened, while adults are more likely to blame others.

According to one Stanford study, here are some things you can do to help your child who may be suffering from PTSD:

Talk to them about what happened. Make sure they know that it is not their fault and that they did not deserve what happened to them.
Encourage them to express their feelings. Let them know that it is okay to cry, scream, or be angry.
Help them find a support group or therapist who can help them deal with their symptoms.

Let's go back to Triston from the beginning of the article. He is fictional (but based on real-life experiences) and turned out to be fine. Immediately, his mother noticed a change in his behavior.

Triston became more open about his experience after receiving encouragement and receiving the help he needed.

Just in case you need some more information, attached are a few resources to help you further understand PTSD and its effect on children:

childtraumarecovery.com and phoenixaustralia.org.

Parents and Caretakers: Can You Recognize PTSD In Children?

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