What Is Child Traumatic Stress?Ĭhildren who suffer from child traumatic stress are those who have been exposed to one or more traumas over the course of their lives and develop reactions that persist and affect their daily lives after the events have ended.

When children have been in situations where they feared for their lives, believed that they would be injured, witnessed violence, or tragically lost a loved one, they may show signs of child traumatic stress. Military family-related stressors (e.g., deployment, parental loss or injury).Serious accidents or life-threatening illness.Refugee and war experiences (including torture).Traumatic separation (including as part of an immigration journey or incarceration).Substance use disorder (personal or familial).Terrorism, mass violence, and school shootings.Physical, sexual, or psychological abuse and neglect (including trafficking).

This danger can come from outside of the family (such as a natural disaster, car accident, school shooting, or community violence) or from within the family, such as domestic violence, physical or sexual abuse, or the unexpected death of a loved one. Children who experience an inability to protect themselves or who lacked protection from others to avoid the consequences of the traumatic experience may also feel overwhelmed by the intensity of physical and emotional responses.Įven though adults work hard to keep children safe, dangerous events still happen. Children may feel terror, helplessness, or fear, as well as physiological reactions such as heart pounding, vomiting, or loss of bowel or bladder control. Traumatic experiences can initiate strong emotions and physical reactions that can persist long after the event. This is particularly important for young children as their sense of safety depends on the perceived safety of their attachment figures. Witnessing a traumatic event that threatens life or physical security of a loved one can also be traumatic. A traumatic event is a frightening, dangerous, or violent event that poses a threat to a child’s life or bodily integrity.

Common childhood trauma in adult signs