Post-traumatic stress disorder is associated in the United States with military veterans. Yet war is far from the only event that can put adults -- and children -- on the path to developing PTSD. The National Center for PTSD reports that up to 6 percent of boys who experience trauma develop this mental health condition while up to 15 percent of girls who experience a traumatic event have PTSD. Although the causes are often the same regardless of age, PTSD manifests differently in children.
Understanding PTSD
Experiencing a trauma can have lasting effects on a person and, in some cases, lead to the development of PTSD. Your body goes through certain instinctual activities when in a dangerous situation, such as increases in your heart rate, and release of epinephrine and other hormones. All of these physiological responses allow you to respond to such events, either by confronting the trigger or fleeing. This is commonly known as the fight-or-flight response. These changes end once the danger is over or within a short period. In PTSD patients, however, the fight-or-flight response functions abnormally. They become stressed, panicked and scared long after the traumatic event. They relive the experience -- mentally and physically -- through flashbacks or nightmares.
Causes in Children
Many of the same conditions that can lead to PTSD in adults can also affect children. Physical and sexual abuse are significant causes. In addition to being victims themselves, children might also experience PTSD from being witnesses to or involved in violent acts, according to the National Center for PTSD's Jessica Hamblen and Erin Barnett. These events include war, the attack or murder of a parent and exposure to community violence. Natural disasters and experiencing a traumatic accident can cause the disorder as well.
Effects
Reliving the trauma and experiencing continual anxiety are classic signs of PTSD. Emotional difficulties, loss of enjoyment in life and avoidance of conditions that remind them of the trauma are also common. Older children and teens with PTSD are more likely to have these problems. Yet this disorder does not always manifest the same way in young people in comparison to adults. Older minors are more likely to act out, be aggressive, want revenge or engage in destructive activities. Younger kids might not remember the traumatic event properly and are more likely to engage in re-enactments of it. Very young children may be excessively clingy to an adult, have speaking difficulty or begin wetting the bed.
Treatment Options
Cognitive-behavioral therapy is considered the most effective treatment approach, according to Hamblen and Barnett. Trauma-focused CBT requires kids to talk about the trauma and learn ways to manage their responses to it. According to a 2008 article in PTSD Research Quarterly, parents involved in this type of therapy learn new parenting skills and can improve relationships with their children. Therapists can use games or other playtime activities to help young kids deal with traumatic events, a method known as play therapy. Children can be prescribed medications in some cases, although this treatment needs further research.
References
- National Institute of Mental Health: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs National Center for PTSD; PTSD in Children and Adolescents; Jessica Hamblen, Erin Barnett
- "PTSD Research Quarterly"; Treating PTSD and Related Symptoms in Children: Research Highlights; Judith A. Cohen, MD; 2008
