1. Try Talk-Based Therapy for Young Children
Children with post-traumatic stress disorder display distinctive symptoms that differ from those seen in adults. For example, you might find them prone to developing oppositional-defiant disorder or engaging in symbolic, repetitive play that reenacts the traumatic event. These children should be enrolled in treatment programs that address their special needs, in which case "talking therapies" may be used.
These treatments are intended to help your child remember and integrate the difficult memories in a safe, healthy way. They also help your child improve academic performance and interpersonal relationships and deal with the emotional fallout of the traumatic event. This treatment can head off the development of further psychological complications. The talking therapies typically used for post-traumatic stress cases in children include cognitive-behavior therapy, mild forms of psychotherapy and family therapy.
2. Support Groups for Older Children and Adolescents
Older children have more developed emotional and psychological faculties and are in a better position to understand and integrate what's happened to them. Therefore, immersing them in group counseling environments may help them work through the memories, feelings and experiences related to the trauma. Adolescents in particular benefit from group approaches to therapy, since substance abuse is commonly triggered by post-traumatic stress disorder.
3. Treating Complications of PTSD in Children
Children with existing psychological conditions often experience a heightening of the symptoms associated with those conditions after witnessing or surviving severe trauma. Additional treatments for the symptoms of those underlying conditions may be necessary. If you have a child with an eating disorder, separation anxiety, a phobia, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or another psychological condition, make sure he is closely monitored by a psychologist if PTSD is suspected.
