2. “We have discovered that there is no stable
baseline for stress. Unlike other systems of
the body, which usually revert to a prior,
healthy state after suffering trauma (a
process called homeostasis), the brain
responds to extended periods of stress by
developing a new less healthy baseline.
These “allostatic”—or adjusted—stress loads
are becoming increasingly common and are
associated with serious health, learning and
3. What is
Post
Traumatic
Stress
Disorder?
“Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that is
triggered by a terrifying event that was either experienced or witnessed.
Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well
as uncontrollable reoccurring thoughts about the event that last beyond a
month”(Mayo Clinic Staff, 2014).
4. HOW DOES A CHILD FALL
VICTIM TO PTSD?
…Living in a
household
where there is
domestic
violence.
...Living through a
natural disaster.
…Abandonm
ent or
…Experiencing warfare,
terroristic, or military
violence.
…victimized by Sexual
or Physical Abuse.
…Witnessing
the sudden
and violent
death of a
loved one or
peer.
5. Living in a home
where there is
domestic
violence.
Statics on Domestic
Violence
*Witnessing violence between one’s parents or
caretakers is the strongest risk factor of transmitting
violent behavior from one generation to the next.
*Boys who witness domestic violence are twice as
likely to abuse their own partners and children when
they become adults.
*30% to 60% of perpetrators of intimate partner
violence also abuse children in the household.
* Studies suggest that up to 10 million children
witness some form of domestic violence annually.
“Interpersonal violence creates the need for the investigation of the cognitive,
emotional, and behavioral consequences produced by exposure to domestic
violence, especially in children. Traumatic stress is produced by exposure to
events that are so extreme or severe and threatening, that they demand
extraordinary coping efforts. Such events are often unpredicted and
uncontrollable. They overwhelm a person's sense of safety and security” (Volpe,
"Effects of Domestic Violence on Children and Adolescents: An Overview“,1996).
6. Experiencing a
devastating
natural
disaster
“Like many causes of trauma, natural disasters can be sudden and
overwhelming. The most immediate and typical reaction to a calamity
is shock, which at first manifests as numbness or denial. Quickly—or
eventually—shock can give way to an overemotional state that often
includes high levels of anxiety, guilt or depression” (Babbel, "The
Trauma That Arises from Natural Disasters", 2010).
7. Abandonme
nt or
Abduction
“Many refugee children exhibit symptoms of post-
traumatic stress disorder. For some, the migration
process itself can be a terrifying experience, fraught
with dangers such as rape and starvation” (U.S.
Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, 2014).
8. Being Victimized
by Sexual or
Physical Abuse
The degree of perceived personal threat
The developmental state of the child
The relationship of the victim to
the perpetrator
The level of support the victim has in his
day-to-day life
Guilt
Resilience
The child's short-term response to abuse
Statistics show that females are much more likely than males to develop PTSD as a result of experiencing
child abuse. Other factors that help determine whether a child victim will develop PTSD are:
“Sexual abuse is a particularly sinister type of trauma because
of the shame it instills in the victim. With childhood sexual
abuse, victims are often too young to know how to express
what is happening and seek out help. When not properly
treated, this can result in a lifetime of PTSD, depression and
anxiety” (Babbel, 2013).
(Babbel, 2011)
9. WITNESSING THE
VIOLENT AND
SUDDEN DEATH OF A
LOVED ONE OR PEER.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-
now/2014/04/19/school-shootings-
timeline/7903671/
The past 20 years has seen the
phenomenon of school shootings and
mass murders on elementary, middle, high
school and college campuses. Why has this
started happening on such a regular basis
in the last two decades? Is it simply due to
peer “bullying” and lack of teacher
intervention or is it something more?
Could it be attributed to the significant
increase in prescribed narcotics used to
control behaviors in children over the past
20 years? Could it be attributed to less
parental engagement with children within
the past few decades? Whatever the
reason, the young survivors who witness
these horrors and are left behind in the
aftermath are mentally and emotionally
changed forever.
Click on the link below to view the timeline of
school shootings since Columbine in 1999.
10. DAILY EXPOSURE TO LIFE
IN A VIOLENT OR
DANGEROUS ENVIRONMENT
Children living in neighborhoods or
communities where daily life is fraught
with violence and death seem to exhibit
the more traditional view of PTSD or
“shell shock” that plagues soldiers after
returning from war. They are hyper-
reactive to sensory driven stimulus,
especially those that are auditory based.
They flinch and duck at “popping”
sounds and are constantly in “fight or
flight” mode. They have reoccurring
nightmares and flashbacks to violent
events that they have witnessed, just like
soldiers. The only difference is that
soldiers’ tours of duty last under two
years and then they go home or to a
hospital for treatment. For these
children, tours last up to 18 years and
their battlefields are their
neighborhoods.
11. SYMPTOMS ASSOCIATED
WITH PTSD
Bedwetting
Being unable to talk or
forgetting how to talk
Acting out the scary event
during playtime
Being unusually clingy with a
parent or other adults
Crying
Being easily startled
Feeling tense or “on edge”
Having difficulty sleeping
Losing interest in activities that
once brought happiness
Isolating self from friends
12. THE NEXT STEP…WHAT DO YOU DO IF
YOU SUSPECT A STUDENT IS SUFFERING
FROM PTSD?
If you suspect that a child is
suffering from PTSD due to physical
or sexual abuse or neglect, you
need to:
If you suspect that a child is suffering
from PTSD due to experiencing or
witnessing a violent or traumatic
event, you should:
Contact your school counselor and let them know
your concerns. Do not speculate. Give only concrete,
observable reasons for your assessment.
Contact Child Protective Services.
Do not directly address the parent or guardian of
your concerns because the child will “pay the price”
for your inquisition and you could find yourself
named in a lawsuit.
Maintain a detailed communication log of all
conversations you have as they relate to each
individual situation. This protects you, the school
and the child.
Contact your school counselor and let them know your
concerns.
With consent from the administrators and with additional
staff in attendance, have a parent/teacher conference with
the parents to see if they are seeing the same behaviors at
home. Problem solve together and foster a relationship in
order to support the family.
If the child has an IEP, but isn’t receiving Special Education
supports and accommodations related to emotional
disabilities, suggest a possible re-evaluation so that the child
has access to all available supports during the school day.
The parent will have to agree, but leave that for the Special
Education staff to communicate.
14. Be the soft place
where your
students can fall
without getting
hurt.
It is our job as teachers to not only
fortify the mind of our students, but to
strengthen the heart and the spirit as
well. When a student comes to us with
a broken spirit and heart, we need to
be their greatest advocate and exhaust
all efforts in order to rebuild that child
into a healthy and complete individual.
It is not only our job…it is our
15. REFERENCES
Babbel, S. (2010, April 21). The Trauma That Arises from Natural Disasters. Psychology Today:
Health, Help, Happiness + Find a Therapist. Retrieved July 19, 2014, from
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/somatic-psychology/201004/the-trauma-arises-
natural-disasters
Action Alerts. (2014). Refugees organization. Retrieved July 20, 2014, from
http://www.refugees.org/resources/for-service-providers/rape-and-sexual-violence.html
Jensen, E. (2005). Teaching with the brain in mind (2nd ed.). Alexandria, Va.: Association
for Supervision and Curriculum Development
Volpe, J. (1996) Effects of Domestic Violence on Children and Adolescents: An Overview.
Effects of Domestic Violence on Children and Adolescents: An Overview. Retrieved July 21,
2014, from http://www.aaets.org/article8.htm
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2014, April 15). Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Definition.
Retrieved July 22, 2014, from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/post-
traumatic-stress-disorder/basics/definition/CON-20022540
16. REFERENCES CONTINUED…
Babbel, S. (2011, April 23). The Lingering Trauma of Child Abuse. Psychology Today: Health,
Help, Happiness + Find a Therapist. Retrieved July 20, 2014, from
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/somatic-psychology/201104/the-lingering-trauma-
child-abuse
Timeline: Deadly school shootings since Columbine. (2014, April 19). USA Today. Retrieved
July 22, 2014, from http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-
now/2014/04/19/school-shootings-timeline/7903671/