Childhood trauma: 30+ signs your child is trying to cope

Spot the signs of childhood trauma.

Has your child gone through a traumatic physical, psychological or emotional experience? Understanding childhood trauma can help you help your child.

Sometimes it can be hard to tell whether a child is simply upset by something that happened or if they are traumatized. We all experience feelings of stress—but the difference between reactions to our everyday stressors and a child’s traumatic stress is that reactions to trauma interfere with daily life, impact the ability to function and affect interactions with others.

The effects of trauma manifest differently from child to child, and they vary based on age and developmental level. However, a general sign that your child is suffering from traumatic stress is that they may act in a way that is uncharacteristic for them. Sometimes, signs may not manifest at all, or they may develop very gradually. As a parent, you may not be aware of how serious the reasons are behind your child’s reaction.

You know your child better than anyone else does. You are the best judge to determine if something feels ‘off.’ If you sense that your child is not acting in a manner that’s typical for them, trust your intuition.

CHILDREN MAY EXHIBIT SIGNS OF TRAUMATIC STRESS IF THEY ENDURE EXPERIENCES LIKE:

• Physical, sexual, verbal or emotional abuse (including human trafficking)
• Abandonment, neglect or disorganized attachment
• Domestic violence
• Violence in the child’s community (ex: school shootings or even mass casualty events in the news)
• Loss of a loved one 
• Change in caregivers
• Serious accidents (ex: car accidents)
• Medical diagnoses, events and life-threatening illnesses
• Natural disasters (ex: hurricanes, earthquakes or tsunamis)
• Exposure to substance abuse (self or other)
• War, terrorism and refugee experiences (including torture)
• Military-related incidents or stress (ex: deployment of a parent)
• Absent parent
• Bullying
• Major life changes (ex: moving or starting at a new school)

 

TRAUMA CAN INCLUDE A VARIETY OF RESPONSES AND BEHAVIORAL CHANGES, SUCH AS:

• Intense and ongoing emotional upset, including feelings of fear, terror or under pressure
• Anxiety or being in a state of constant alert
• Depression
• Nightmares or trouble sleeping
• Changes in eating habits or loss of appetite
• Trouble forming attachments or relationships
• Difficulty trusting you or others
• Difficulty concentrating or paying attention
• Regression or loss of skills the child had previously mastered
• Poor academic performance
• Aches and pains
• Pounding heart
• Vomiting
• Incontinence (loss of bladder or bowel control, including enuresis [bed-wetting])
• Substance use/abuse (drugs or alcohol)
• Engaging in sexual activity/promiscuity
• Risky behavior