Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

A child's risk of developing PTSD is related to the seriousness of the trauma, whether the trauma is repeated, how close the child was to the trauma, and the child’s relationship to the victim or victims of the trauma.

Signs and Symptoms

Typical signs and symptoms of PTSD include:

• Easily agitated immediately following the event
• Intense fear, helplessness, anger, sadness, horror, or denial
• Avoidance of situations or places that may trigger memories of the event
• Frequent memories of the event
• Repetition of events from the trauma over and over while playing
• Nightmares or general problems falling and staying asleep
• Withdrawn and less emotionally responsive
• Detachment from feelings
• Physical or emotional symptoms that continually arise with a reminder of the event
• Worries about dying at an early age
• Loss of interest in activities they once enjoyed
• Complaints of headaches and stomachaches
• Problems concentrating on tasks
• Starts acting younger than their age. Some examples of behaviors include bed-wetting, clingy behavior, thumb-sucking, and sharing a bed with a parent.

For some children PTSD may last only a few months. For others, the effects may last years.

Treatment

A psychotherapist, child and adolescent psychiatrist, or advanced practice registered nurse can treat PTSD.

Treatment of PTSD becomes more effective based on the level of support from parents, the school, and peers. This support is  important because the child needs to be certain of safety. Treatment should start with a direct discussion of the traumatic event. After that, common treatment approaches include psychotherapy (in particular, cognitive behavior therapy), relaxation skills training, and anti-anxiety or anti-depressant medication (in particular, serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SRIs). 

If PTSD is affecting the child's ability to learn, adjustments may need to be made in their education program.