By Elias Sorich, OC Today, March 1, 2023
Two-thirds of American children experience a potentially traumatic event by age 16, and 1 in 7 American children experience abuse or neglect. Without proper attention, these traumatic events can lead to many long-term challenges at all stages of development, from preschool to adulthood. Though each case is unique, common symptoms in children can include anxiety, depression, social isolation, educational and interpersonal struggles, and substance abuse.
Childhood traumatic stress occurs when violent or dangerous events overwhelm a child's or adolescent's coping abilities. What constitutes a potentially traumatic event can encompass many situations, from the especially egregious and horrific to the slightly more common but still traumatizing. The most serious can be neglect, physical or sexual abuse, natural disasters, witnessing intimate partner violence, and school violence. However, situations that might seem more innocuous can initiate similar trauma responses in a child—from sports injuries to animal bites to having surgery.
Knowing which behavioral indicators of post-traumatic stress to watch for can lead to early treatment, which can have an enormously positive impact. And so, citing research from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and scientific journals, Charlie Health looked at how symptoms of childhood trauma manifest at different age ranges.
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