Experts from Intermountain Health say that children who experience trauma may be at risk for developing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, some youth may not receive a PTSD diagnosis because current diagnostic criteria do not always fully capture how trauma symptoms appear in children. Research shows childhood trauma can have a significant impact, and children may be just as vulnerable to PTSD symptoms as adults.<\/p>\n
Causes\u00a0of\u00a0trauma in children<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cLife brings significant\u00a0ups and downs\u00a0across many categories. Trauma is a deeply disturbing or distressing experience that is not an\u00a0everyday\u00a0or common event,\u201d said Annie Deming,\u00a0Ph.\u00a0D,\u00a0clinical\u00a0director for\u00a0pediatric\u00a0behavioral\u00a0health and the\u00a0psychology discipline chief for\u00a0Intermountain Health\u00a0Primary Children\u2019s Hospitals.<\/p>\n \u201cFor example, the death of a parent or a sibling is considered an uncommon experience during childhood. Forms of abuse or assault, such as physical, sexual, or emotional abuse can be traumatizing. Witnessing violence or someone being\u00a0harmed in an accident are also examples of trauma,\u201d added\u00a0Dr. Deming.<\/p>\n National and local statistics of\u00a0children\u00a0with\u00a0PTSD<\/strong><\/p>\n Nationally, about 65-70% of children\u00a0under age\u00a018 will\u00a0have been\u00a0exposed to a traumatic event. The number of those youth who develop diagnosable PTSD differs by the category of trauma, but it ranges from 15-60%.<\/p>\n \u201cIn our behavioral health settings at\u00a0Intermountain Health\u00a0Primary Children\u2019s\u00a0Hospital\u00a0we\u00a0found\u00a067%\u00a0of our pediatric patients\u00a0in\u00a0inpatient\u00a0care\u00a0and\u00a071% of\u00a0pediatric\u00a0patients in day treatment have had an exposure to a traumatic event. Of those, around half met full criteria for PTSD. Even though we knew the national numbers, it was still very sobering to see these numbers in our community,\u201d said Dr. Deming.<\/p>\n Can common\u00a0experiences\u00a0such as divorce\u00a0or bullying\u00a0be traumatic\u00a0for children?<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThere is a concept called Adverse Childhood Events (ACEs) that takes these types of events into account. Divorce can be stressful on youth and families, but it is not typically considered a \u201ctrauma.\u201d Bullying is in a similar category, although if it is severe, it can certainly be traumatic. As ACEs increase in number for a particular child, the impact increases.\u00a0If a child has\u00a0multiple ACEs,\u00a0they\u00a0are more likely to have mental and physical health concerns,\u201d said Dr. Deming.<\/p>\n Symptoms of\u00a0PTSD in a child<\/strong><\/p>\n PTSD in children varies, but often symptoms include those\u00a0similar to\u00a0depression and anxiety.\u00a0There can be low mood, irritability, suicidal thoughts, self-harm, worries, fears, being \u201con guard\u201d for danger, and feeling ashamed, alone, or guilty. Youth with trauma can also become aggressive at times.<\/p>\n Treatments for childhood PTSD<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cEven though it can be discouraging to learn about how many children are exposed to trauma, and how it can affect their lives, the good news is that there are\u00a0absolutely\u00a0ways for them to feel better. Even though it might seem counterintuitive, talking about the trauma, in combination with learning skills to cope with trauma symptoms, works,\u201d said Dr. Deming.<\/p>\n There are slightly different treatments for trauma compared to traumatic grief.\u00a0The National Child Traumatic Stress Network lists\u00a0many\u00a0evidence-based treatments for trauma, which means they are proven to work.<\/p>\n \u201cAs a\u00a0psychologist,\u00a0I\u2019ve\u00a0seen many youth and families heal and move through even extremely painful circumstances and events.\u00a0The best thing is seeing these youth go on to live happy and fulfilled lives.\u00a0Youth who have experienced traumatic events can still love, have families, successful careers, and be happy,\u201d said Dr. Deming.<\/p>\n What\u00a0parents can do<\/strong><\/p>\n There is a counterpoint to ACEs called Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs). These include having a supportive adult in your life, 1-2 non-parent adult mentors who care, having social support such as friends and teammates to spend time with, being a part of a larger community such as a faith or spiritual community, and feeling connected to family.<\/p>\n Resources\u00a0for parents<\/strong><\/p>\n Intermountain Health\u00a0Primary Children\u2019s Center for Safe and Healthy Families at 801-662-3600 is the main resource for childhood trauma.\u00a0The\u00a0Primary Children\u2019s\u00a0Pediatric Behavioral Health<\/a>\u00a0service line intake team can be reached at\u00a0385-478-2400. An intake specialist will take your call, hear what your concerns are, and then provide resources, either within Primary Children\u2019s Hospital or in the community.\u00a0The\u00a0National Child Traumatic Stress Network<\/a>\u00a0also\u00a0has resources for parents and professionals.<\/p>\n Intermountain Children\u2019s Health and Primary Children\u2019s Hospital campuses in Utah (SLC, Lehi, and Taylorsville), also recently earned the honor as the first member of the national Trauma and Grief (TAG) Network<\/a> in the Western United States \u2013 and the fourth in the United States.\t\t<\/p>\n \n About Intermountain Health<\/strong>\n <\/p>\n Headquartered in Utah with locations in six states and additional operations across the western U.S., Intermountain Health<\/a><\/b> is a nonprofit system of 34 hospitals, approximately 400 clinics, medical groups with some 4,600 employed physicians and advanced care providers, a nonprofit health plan called Select Health<\/a> with more than one million members, and other health services. Helping people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is committed to improving community health and is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare by using evidence-based best practices to consistently deliver high-quality outcomes at sustainable costs. For up-to-date information and announcements, please see the Intermountain Health newsroom at https:\/\/news.intermountainhealth.org\/<\/a>. For more information, see intermountainhealth.org\/<\/a> or call 801-442-2000.<\/p>\n\n
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