In fact, people who experienced a traumatic event before reaching the age of 11 were 3 times more likely to show psychological symptoms than those who experienced their first trauma in adolescence or adulthood.
Undeniably, traumatic events or experiences risk disrupting the long-term life of the child if not treated or treated immediately. Fortunately, this possibility does not need to occur if the child receives support and assistance from parents and other trusted adults.
Worried that a child you know is trying to cope with the trauma? Understand that your mentoring is very important to improve their ability to cope with the trauma. Therefore, do not hesitate to help him to deal with the situation that occurs, accompany him when he is grieving, and encourage him to move on with life in a better direction.
Remember, provide assistance as soon as possible so that the impact does not drag on! However, before acting, make sure you really recognize the symptoms of trauma in children to know what kind of treatment patterns you can provide for them.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Understanding Trauma
Step 1. Understand events or experiences that children may find traumatic
Traumatic experiences generally refer to events that left the child afraid, shocked, felt his life was threatened, and/or felt vulnerable. Some traumatic events that may occur in children:
- Natural disasters
- Driving accident or other accident
- Abandonment
- Verbal, physical, or sexual violence
- Rape
- War
- Severe bullying
- Compliance, restraint, and isolation therapy.
Step 2. Realize that everyone has a different response to trauma
Even if two children experience the same event, they can have different symptoms or experience different levels of trauma. In other words, an event that is considered traumatic by one child may only be considered annoying by another child.
Step 3. Consider the possibility of trauma to the parents or other close people
Trauma responses in children can also be triggered by post-traumatic stress disorder suffered by their parents. They may react more extreme to the trauma because the adults around them (especially their parents) behave the same way.
Method 2 of 4: Recognizing Physical Symptoms
Step 1. Observe any significant personality changes
Try to compare the child's behavior before and after the trauma; if you notice an extreme change in behavior, there's a good chance that something is wrong with him.
For example, a girl who was once very confident suddenly turns into a child who always wants to satisfy others overnight; Alternatively, a traumatized child will have a volatile and uncontrollable mood
Step 2. Observe the change in her emotions
Children who have experienced trauma are generally more likely to cry or complain about small things that previously didn't bother them.
Step 3. Be aware of the emergence of behaviors or habits that are generally only possessed by young children
A child who has been traumatized is likely to get used to finger sucking or wetting the bed. Although more identical to children who have experienced sexual violence or follow adherence therapy for autistic children, such behavior is also seen in victims of other traumatic situations.
Step 4. Beware of being passive and being too submissive
Traumatized children (especially those who have experienced violence from adults) are more likely to always try to satisfy adults or keep them from getting angry. They may appear to always avoid other people's attention, be very submissive, or try too hard to be the "perfect" child.
Step 5. Beware of anger and aggression
Children who are traumatized will generally always act negative, easily frustrated, and easily angry. Generally, they will also be more aggressive towards others
Step 6. Observe the trauma symptoms exhibited by the disease
For example, a child who has been traumatized will have persistent headaches, vomiting, or fever. These symptoms will get worse if the child has to do something related to the trauma (for example, when he has to go to school after experiencing school violence), or if he feels stressed.
Method 3 of 4: Recognizing Psychological Symptoms
Step 1. Be aware of psychological symptoms that will generally appear
A child who has been traumatized is likely to exhibit one, some, or all of the following symptoms:
Step 2. Be aware that the child cannot detach himself from certain people or objects
They are more likely to feel lost if they are not accompanied by a trusted person or object (such as a toy, pillow, or doll). A traumatized child will generally get really angry and feel insecure if the person or object in question is not around.
Step 3. Watch out for nightmares at night
Traumatized children may have trouble falling asleep at night, have to sleep with the light on, or have constant nightmares.
Step 4. Be aware that the child is constantly asking questions about the possibility of the same event happening again
Some children may feel obsessed with preventing the same event from happening again; for example, they will constantly check smoke detectors after being caught in a fire event. Be careful, this habit can trigger obsessive compulsive disorder
Step 5. Consider how much he can trust adults
Children who experience violence from adults will inevitably experience a crisis of trust, especially because the adults who are supposed to protect them are not doing their job well. As a result, they will believe that no one can keep them safe. Children who experience violence from adults will generally harbor fears of adults, especially adults who have a stature similar to the abuser (for example, a girl who has been hurt by a tall blonde boy is likely to be afraid of everyone. men of similar stature).
Step 6. Be aware of the child's fear of certain places
For example, a child who has experienced violence from his therapist is more likely to scream and cry when he sees the therapist's office; Alternatively, she will have a panic attack when she hears the word “therapy.” However, there are also children who have a higher tolerance level but still can't afford to be left alone there.
Step 7. Beware of inappropriate shame or guilt
A traumatized child is likely to blame his words, actions, or thoughts for the traumatic event.
- Not all fears are rational. Watch out for children who blame themselves for situations that are not their fault; more likely, they will also curse themselves for feeling they should be able to improve the situation.
- Excessive shame or guilt can trigger obsessive-compulsive behavior. For example, he may be playing dirt with his brother when the traumatic event occurs; later in life, it is possible that he will harbor an excessive obsession with cleanliness and always keep himself (and those closest to him) off the ground.
Step 8. Observe his interactions with his peers
A traumatized child will generally feel alienated; as a result, they also have difficulty or feel less interested in interacting with other people.
Step 9. Watch out if he becomes more easily startled or frightened by sounds he wasn't previously afraid of
A traumatized child is generally easily frightened by the sound of wind, rain, or sudden loud noises.
Step 10. Don't ignore her fears or worries
If he is constantly worried about the safety or well-being of his family, you should be wary. Traumatized children are generally obsessed with the safety and security of their families; they also generally have a very strong desire to protect their families.
Step 11. Be aware of the urge to hurt yourself or even kill yourself
A child who is suicidal is generally more likely to bring up topics related to death.
Step 12. Most likely, a psychologist or psychiatrist can immediately recognize the symptoms of anxiety, depression, or forced courage in a child
Method 4 of 4: Moving On
Step 1. Understand that even if the child does not show the above symptoms, it does not mean that they are not struggling with their feelings
There will always be children who are used to hiding their feelings because they are required to be strong or brave for the sake of those closest to them.
Step 2. Assume that the child in question needs extra care and attention from you (and the people around him) to help him deal with the situation positively
Step 3. Don't force the child to explore and express his feelings
Remember, some children take longer to process the situation and express their feelings to others.
Step 4. Get help as soon as possible
Your spontaneous responses, reactions, help, and support will significantly affect the child's ability to cope with the trauma.
Step 5. It is best to seek professional health assistance whenever you feel the need to talk to the child about his feelings and condition
Step 6. Understand the type of therapy that works for him
Several types of therapy that are generally needed to support the recovery process are psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, cognitive behavioral therapy, hypnotherapy, and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR).
Step 7. Don't try to tackle everything alone
No matter how much you want to support and help him, never force yourself to do it alone! Believe me, you will definitely find it difficult, especially if you have experienced a traumatic event in the past.
Step 8. Encourage him to continue interacting with other people
Her family, friends, therapists, teachers, and other close people can provide her with the help and support she needs to recover. Always remember that you – and the child in question – don't have to fight alone.
Step 9. Pay attention to his health
Some of the things you can do to restore his routine is to provide him with nutritious food, and make sure he continues to play and exercise regularly so that his psychomotor condition remains good.
Step 10. Make sure you are always there for him when needed and focus on what is happening in the present instead of constantly looking to the past
Tips
- If you want to help a child cope with their trauma, try to broaden your knowledge of the impact trauma can have on children. You can find this information in books and the internet, especially on health sites run by the government or other trusted bodies. Get to know what the child is really going through to find out what kind of help you can provide.
- Chances are, the developmental rate of a post-traumatic child will slow down when compared to before the trauma occurred. After experiencing a traumatic event, the areas of the brain responsible for processing emotion, memory, and language are most affected; As a result, these changes will generally have a long-term impact on their lives, including their academic and social life.
- In fact, drawing and writing are very powerful therapeutic drugs to overcome feelings of helplessness and unhappiness in children; In addition, doing so is also effective in diverting his mind from the negative events that have colored his life. Most likely, the health care professional will identify the action as a response; however, you can also encourage the child in question to do these actions as a form of self-expression. For example, ask him to write a story about a child who managed to escape from a traumatic event and how he handled this difficult situation.
Warning
- If the trauma is caused by an ongoing event (such as domestic violence), try to keep the child away from the source of the violence and seek relevant help for him or her.
- Don't be in a hurry to get upset when faced with negative behavior that is most likely a symptom of trauma in children; if the situation is true, the child in question will have difficulty controlling his behavior. Instead of getting angry, try to find and work on getting to the root of the problem. Try to be more sensitive to behavior related to sleep patterns and frequency of crying (don't get angry if the child is always having trouble sleeping or can't stop crying).
- If these symptoms are ignored, the potential for the child concerned to experience further psychological problems will increase significantly.
