From birth an infant relies on caretakers for survival. As care and attachment continue, the child constructs mental representations of what is safe and predictable in the world around him. A child who has been traumatized or experiences a significant loss such as a death of a parent may no longer feel that their world is safe or predictable. Underlying feelings such as fear, uncertainty, longing, guilt, or anger can significantly impair a child’s emotional and social development, and negatively effect their adulthood relationships. Thus, healing from loss or trauma often involves reconstructing representations of what is safe, what is secure, and what is dependable. In essence, the therapist assists the child with processing grief and redeveloping trust; A trust of self and a trust of others.

What are the symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in children?

Children who have PTSD may become hyper-vigilant to perceived signs of danger, exhibit an exacerbated startle response, display random, unusual or new fears, avoidance of thoughts, people, or places associated with the trauma, have difficulty sleeping, or nightmares. The child’s nightmares may also mirror the feelings they are experiencing during waking hours such as heightened vulnerability, a sense helplessness, or worry of harm to self or family members. There may be a sense of a foreshortened future, a belief that life is too short to become an adult, guilt, or a desire to die or go to heaven in order to be with a deceased loved one. Children may also exhibit various physical symptoms such as stomach aches, headaches, nausea and dizziness. Young children often believe they caused the loss or trauma, or should have saved the victim.