Adults can have immense problems dealing with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) whether the adult his/herself is experiencing it or those around him/her. You could only imagine how children with PTSD are dealing with it. Post traumatic stress disorder can be very hard on both parents and children. It’s not enough that children go through a traumatizing event or events that lead to PTSD but to experience the fear and the hurt every time their mind goes out of focus is difficult to accept.
There are times when children keep these experiences to themselves and end up with PTSD with parents not knowing or parents may not realize the gravity of the situation. Here are some signs that the child has post traumatic stress disorder:
- Has a frequent recollection of the traumatizing event whether the child is awake and asleep in the form of nightmares.
- The child displays erratic behavior when something triggers a recollection.
- The child loses interest in play or other activities.
- Sleeping problems
- Alternate bouts of depression and mood swings
- Problems with concentration
- Increased alertness or awareness
No child should have to deal with such a set of symptoms that can drive an adult insane. The following are some of what parents should do to heal the child’s mind and should go about doing it immediately.
- Seek the help of a professional child psychologist to solve the PTSD. They will be able to seek out the source if it’s unknown, provide medication that can ease the symptoms and recommend an effective cognitive therapy to keep the child’s learning process going.
- Always be available or let the child know you will always be there. This should alleviate their fears in going to bed and lessen the effects of nightmares.
- Maintain the child’s pre-PTSD daily routine. This will keep a sense of order and normalcy.
- Keep potentially dangerous objects accessible only to you so the child cannot hurt his/herself.
Check out some of our other posts on PTSD.
What To Do When Your Child Has PTSD.
It’s always sad when a child has to go through something terrible like this…
True, because it eventually leads to adult PTSD. And people with PTSD don’t just have PTSD, but PTSD can be spread from one person to the next–through negative attitudes and actions, etc.
My child suffers trim predicted and was first diagnosed when he was 4. I was already pregnant with my 2nd child and then 18 months later found myself with another surprise, my 3rd baby! My oldest is now 9. Life (excuse me for saying this) SUCKS!!! My son has been through 5 different schools even with an IEP, 4 therapists and their techniques, 2 psychiatrists, 3 pediatricians, naturopaths, a neurologist, several medications, the world renouned ‘Amen Clinics’ and finally we moved to Hawaii to see if ‘paradise’ would help. We are tired and beat down and we are throwing our marriage and other 2 innocent, non damaged kids under the bus. Is it going to get better? All I see is a stronger, more psychotic will. Do I just keep trying while sacrificing 4 others in a small chance that my oldest may take something from it? I am ready to give up and pour into my family who desperately needs it and will nothing but thrive from it. Would he really be worse off somewhere else? I doubt he would show any difference in his behavior.
With a heart shattered beyond words or thoughts,
Kimberly
Auto correct was not correct! 😉 He has been diagnosed with PTSD, NOT trim predicted, whatever that is 🙂
hello Kimberly your child must be 18 wow. if he still has ptsd he isn’t damaged he just needs your love and support to guide through his journey. I know this, because I am 12 turning 13 and i suffer from ptsd and dissociation. Its tough to live with ptsd but my advice to you and him is that god gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldier. yall just need to stay strong.
God bless,
Nas