1. Trauma can arise from powerful shocks like divorce, death of a parent, abuse, disasters or war. These experiences can have long-lasting effects on children. 2. Trauma is defined as an emotional response to a terrible event that overwhelms a person's ability to regulate their emotions. Common causes of childhood trauma include sexual, physical, or emotional abuse, neglect, accidents, violence, or loss of a parent. 3. Children who experience trauma may exhibit symptoms like struggling with emotions, frightening memories, sleep problems, feelings of danger, and relationship or behavioral issues. Trauma can also impact brain development and have long-term effects on learning, behavior, and health. Support from caring adults

1. COURSE 1
MODULE 3
Unit 6
Namrata Saxena, Asst Professor, PCER, New Panvel.
B) Issues and Implications of changing family structure:-
b) 2) Experiences of trauma in childhood (child abuse, violence, death of a parent)
•Trauma arise from a powerful shock, such as divorce, death of a parent, physical or sexual
abuse, natural disasters, or war. These may have long-lasting effects
•Trauma is an exceptional experience in which powerful and dangerous stimuli overwhelm
the child's capacity to regulate emotions.
Trauma is an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, rape or natural disaster.
•Trauma is defined by the way a person reacts to events. So a trauma to one person may not
be a trauma to another. And some people can cope with the trauma and move forward
quickly. Others, though, may not be able to cope.
Immediately after the event, shock and denial are typical. Longer term reactions include
unpredictable emotions, flashbacks, strained relationships and even physical symptoms like
headaches or nausea. While these feelings are normal, some people have difficulty moving on
with their lives. Psychologists can help these individuals find constructive ways of managing
their emotions.
Types of Traumatic Experiences (CAUSES OF TRAUMA)
1. CHILD Sexual Abuse or Assault: Actual or attempted sexual contact, exposure to age-
inappropriate sexual material or environments, sexual exploitation, unwanted or coercive
sexual contact.
2. CHILD Physical Abuse or Assault: Actual or attempted infliction of physical pain with
or without use of an object or weapon and including use of severe corporeal punishment.
3. CHILD Emotional Abuse/Psychological Maltreatment: Acts of commission against a
minor child, other than physical or sexual abuse, that caused or could have caused
conduct, cognitive, affective or other mental disturbance, such as verbal abuse, emotional
abuse, excessive demands on a child's performance that may lead to negative self-image
and disturbed behavior. Acts of omission against a minor child that caused or could have
caused conduct, cognitive, affective or other mental disturbance, such as emotional neglect
or intentional social deprivation.

2. 4. CHILD Neglect: Failure by the child victim's caretaker(s) to provide needed, age-
appropriate care although financially able to do so, or offered financial or other means to
do so, including physical neglect, medical neglect, or educational neglect.
5. Serious Accident or Illness/Medical Procedure: Unintentional injury or accident, having
a physical illness or experiencing medical procedures that are extremely painful and/or life
threatening.
6. Witness to Domestic Violence: Exposure to emotional abuse, actual/attempted physical
or sexual assault, or aggressive control perpetrated between a parent/caretaker and another
adult in the child victim's home environment or perpetrated by an adolescent against one
or more adults in the child victim's home environment.
7. Victim/Witness to Community Violence: Extreme violence in the community, including
exposure to gang-related violence.
8. School Violence: Violence that occurs in a school setting, including, but not limited to
school shootings, bullying, interpersonal violence among classmates, and classmate
suicide.
9. Substance Abuse – Someone in the child’s household abuses alcohol, street drugs or
prescription drugs.
10. Natural or Manmade Disasters: Major accident or disaster that is an unintentional result
of a manmade or natural event.
11. Forced Displacement: Forced relocation to a new home due to political reasons,
generally including political asylees or immigrants fleeing political persecution.
12. War/Terrorism/Political Violence: Exposure to acts of war/terrorism/political violence
including incidents such bombing, shooting, looting, or accidents that are a result of
terrorist activity as well as actions of individuals acting in isolation if they are considered
political in nature.
13. Victim/Witness to Extreme Personal/Interpersonal Violence: Includes extreme
violence by or between individuals including exposure to homicide, suicide and other
similar extreme events.
14. Traumatic Grief/Separation: Death of a parent, primary caretaker or sibling, abrupt
and/or unexpected, accidental or premature death or homicide of a close friend, family
member, or other close relative; abrupt, unexplained and/or indefinite separation from a
parent, primary caretaker or sibling due to circumstances beyond the child victim's.
15. System-Induced Trauma: Traumatic removal from the home, traumatic foster
placement, sibling separation, or multiple placements in a short amount of time.
16. Traumatized children frequently face other sources of ongoing stress that can challenge
our ability to intervene. Some of these sources of stress include: Poverty, Discrimination,
Separations from parent/siblings, Frequent moves, School problems, Traumatic grief and
loss, Refugee or immigrant experiences

3.  SYMPTOMS OF TRAUMA: (effects of trauma exposure on children)
IN GENERAL:
 Struggling with upsetting
emotions,
 Thinking the event is their fault,
 Frightening memories,
 A sense of constant danger,
 Feeling numb, Sleep disorders,
 Disconnected, and unable to trust
other people,
 Regression
 low development
 Fatigue
 Insomnia
 Nightmares
 Self-blame
 Guilt
 Anxiety
 Fear
 Unusually high level of anger
 Aggression towards family and
others
 Verbal abuse towards others
 Overly controlling
 School problems
 Difficulty concentrating
 Suicidal thoughts or actions
 Drug or alcohol use
 Associating with negative peers or
adults
 Risky behaviors, including sexual
behaviors
 Unhealthy romantic relationships
 Self harm
 Panic attacks
 Shame
 Flashbacks
 Hostility
 Hoarding of food
 Overly self-reliant
 Running away
 Starting fights
 Trouble relating to peers
 Defiant
 Mistrustful
 Inability to see a future (expects to
die young)
 Alienated
 Stomach aches, headaches and
other physical complaints
 Withdrawal from friends and
family
 Acting out in social situations
 Avoidance of situations that
remind the child of the trauma
 Eating problems
 Nightmares
 Sleeplessness
 Irritability
 Inability to trust others or make
friends
 Poor self esteem
 Loneliness
 Confusion
1. Attachment. Traumatized children feel that the world is uncertain and unpredictable. They
can become socially isolated and can have difficulty relating to and empathizing with
others.
2. Biology. Traumatized children may experience problems with movement and sensation,
including hypersensitivity to physical contact and insensitivity to pain. They may exhibit
unexplained physical symptoms and increased medical problems.
3. Mood regulation. Children exposed to trauma can have difficulty regulating their emotions
as well as difficulty knowing and describing their feelings and internal states.

4. 4. Dissociation. Some traumatized children experience a feeling of detachment or
depersonalization, as if they are “observing” something happening to them that is unreal.
5. Behavioral control. Traumatized children can show poor impulse control, self-destructive
behavior, and aggression towards others.
6. Cognition. Traumatized children can have problems focusing on and completing tasks, or
planning for and anticipating future events. Some exhibit learning difficulties and problems
with language development.
7. Self-concept. Traumatized children frequently suffer from disturbed body image, low self-
esteem, shame, and guilt.
8. Brain: In early childhood, trauma can be associated with reduced size of the cortex. The
cortex is responsible for many complex functions, including memory, attention, perceptual
awareness, thinking, language, and consciousness.
In school-age children, trauma undermines the development of brain regions that would
normally help children:
Manage fears, anxieties, and aggression
Sustain attention for learning and problem solving
Control impulses and manage physical responses to danger, enabling the child to
consider and take protective actions
As a result, children may exhibit:
Sleep disturbances
New difficulties with learning
Difficulties in controlling startle reactions
Behavior that shifts between overly fearful and overly aggressive
In adolescents, trauma can interfere with development of the prefrontal cortex, the
region responsible for:
Consideration of the consequences of behavior
Realistic appraisal of danger and safety
Ability to govern behavior and meet longer-term goals
As a result, adolescents who have experienced trauma are at increased risk for:
Reckless and risk-taking behavior
Underachievement and school failure
Poor choices
Aggressive or delinquent activity

5. HOW TO HELP
You do not need to be a therapist to help children or adolescents deal with traumatic events.
There are many steps supportive adults can take that can lead to recovery after the trauma.
Remember, every child is different and every situation is different. There are many ways to
help a child or adolescent handle a traumatic event. Even before symptoms appear, adults
can:
Control your own emotions. Children and adolescents are aware of your mood in the best of
times. After a trauma, a sudden change in your mood can be especially upsetting. If that
happens, let the children know that you are reacting to a memory and it is not their fault.
Avoid loud noises, such as slamming doors and raised voices. Children who go through a
traumatic event are often more sensitive to loud noises than others.
Be aware of loud noises or other situations that could scare the child. For example, be
prepared to hold the child if severe weather is on the way.
Reassure children they are safe. Let them know adults they trust are in control of the
situation and will make sure no harm comes to them. Even though you know the children are
safe, it is important that they know and feel it themselves.
Take children’s concerns seriously. Often, adults do not understand that children can have a
traumatic reaction to events that may not seem traumatic to them. Sometimes adults are
trying to cope with the trauma themselves. It is important to remember that children of all
ages may have a strong reaction to a trauma, even those who are very young.
Encourage children to talk about the traumatic experiences but do not push them.
Talking can help children process the event and recover. But it is also important for children
to understand which adults are safe for these conversations.
Listen patiently without criticism or judgment. It may be difficult for adults to hear
children repeat the details of the event, ask the same questions over and over, or "play" out

6. the situation with dolls or cars. But be patient and let them talk. It can help them to
understand and work towards their recovery.
Assure children that the traumatic event was not their fault. Sometimes children and
adolescents feel guilty about a traumatic event. Reassure them it was not their fault and try to
help them understand why they were not responsible for the event.
Answer children’s questions in words they can understand. It can sometimes be hard to
talk at the right level. Encourage children to ask questions if there is anything they do not
understand.
Make sure children are not isolated. It is important for children who experience trauma to
be in a loving, safe environment.
Return to normal activities and routines as soon as possible. Try to set or keep family
schedules for eating, playing and sleeping to help children feel more secure.
Spend extra time with the children. Hugs, hand holding and other physical signs of
affection are very comforting. Try to be with the child as much as possible. Build more
family time into your schedule and try to avoid travel away from the child if possible.
Find ways to relax and have fun together as a family.
Honor family traditions that bring children close to the people they love.
Help children find activities that keeptheir minds and bodies busy. Be sure the activities
are right for the child’s age. Parents and other safe adults should be a part of these activities if
possible.
Give children choices. Instead of telling children to do or not to do something, give them
two appropriate choices and allow them to choose one.

7. Give the children age-appropriate chores or routines. Present rewards when the children
complete the chores or routines, allowing them to feel in control of their environment.
As teachers, know if there are sudden changes in behavior or school performance.
Recognize that a child is going into survival mode and respond in a kind,
compassionate way. When you notice that a child might be having a difficult time, start by
asking yourself, “What’s happening here?” rather than “What’s wrong with this child?” This
simple mental switch can help you realize that the student has been triggered into a fear
response, which can take many forms. For example, the student might:
 Turn red and clench his or her fists
 Breathe more rapidly
 Begin moving because his or her body is getting ready to run or react
 Burst into tears or look as if he or she is about to cry
Kindly and compassionately reflect back to the child: “I see that you’re having trouble with
this problem,” or “You seem like you’re getting kind of irritated,” and then offer a couple
choices of things the child can do, at least one of which should be appealing to him or her.
This will help the child gain a sense of control and agency and help him or her to feel safe
once more. Over time, if a student who is experiencing something that is frightening or
harmful sees that you really care and understand, then he or she will be more likely to say, “I
need help.”
Create calm, predictable transitions. Transitions between activities can easily trigger a
student into survival mode. That feeling of “uh oh, what’s going to happen next” can be
highly associated with a situation at home where a child’s happy, loving daddy can, without
warning, turn into a monster after he’s had too much to drink.
Some teachers will play music or ring a meditation bell or blow a harmonica to signal it’s
time to transition. The important thing is to build a routine around transitions so that children
know: a) what the transition is going to look like, b) what they’re supposed to be doing, and
c) what’s next.
Praise publicly and criticize privately. For children who have experienced complex trauma,
getting in trouble can sometimes mean either they or a parent will get hit. And for others, “I
made a mistake” can mean “I’m entirely unlovable.” Hence, teachers need to be particularly
sensitive when reprimanding these students.
“Nurture the hell out of these children.” Capture those moments when the student is doing
really well and point it out to build his or her self-worth: “Wow, I love how you sat at your
desk for a whole five minutes” or, “Thank you for helping your classmate.” When you need
to re-direct the behavior, do so privately and in as calm a voice as possible.
Take care of yourself. This actually should be number one! The metaphor of putting on your
own oxygen mask first before putting it on the child is very true in this situation.