We often hear the term ‘childhood trauma’ or ‘trauma’ in our everyday lives. Especially after COVID-19, we have started accepting mental health issues in mainstream discussions. Most of the time when we discuss mental health, we do mostly bring up the topic of ‘trauma’ or trauma care.

What is trauma? How does it affect children? Does trauma faced at an early age have an adverse effect on the overall growth of children? Can the effect of childhood trauma be seen in a person even when an adult? Let’s discover some of the answers to these questions!

Childhood trauma is often described as serious adverse childhood experiences. It is an event experienced by a child that threatens their life or bodily integrity. Early Childhood Trauma is referred to when the trauma occurs between the age of 0-6. This trauma if not treated in time, has long-lasting effects. Adverse childhood experiences, in particular, are linked to chronic health conditions.

Some potential events that can cause Childhood Trauma are:

1. Physical abuse
2. Sexual abuse
3. Emotional abuse
4. Physical neglect or abandonment
5. Emotional neglect
6. Domestic Violence
7. Household substance abuse
8. Mental illness of a parent
9. Parental separation or divorce
10. Long term illness
11. Community Violence
12. Natural or Man-Made Disaster
13. Terrorism or War
14. Forced Displacement or Refugee Status
15. Extreme Poverty

Impact of Childhood Trauma:

Childhood trauma is more likely to lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than the trauma that occurs in adulthood. Anxiety, depression, anger, aggression, dissociation are some forms of exhibiting PTSD. Children and youth with PTSD may re-experience the traumatic event through intrusive memories, nightmares, and flashbacks; avoid situations or people that remind them of the trauma; and feel intense anxiety that disrupts their everyday lives. In addition, they may engage in aggressive, self-destructive, or reckless behavior; have trouble sleeping; or remain in a state of hypervigilance, an exaggerated state of awareness, and reactivity to their environments. However, there is no typical reaction to trauma. The vast majority of children show distress immediately following a traumatic event, but most return to their prior level of functioning. [Child Trends]

Source: childtrends.org

Few common symptoms of adults living with Childhood Trauma:

How to Help?

For Children:

• Encourage your child to talk about his feelings and validate their emotions
• Reassure your child that you’ll do everything you can to keep them safe

For Adults:

• Acknowledge the trauma
• Do not push to know the details of the trauma
• Just listen
• Be there

Remember, it is never too late to get help!

About the author

Smruti Paradarshita is working in Pratham Education Foundation and works on aspects of Content creation for the teacher capacity development portal: Gurushala. Any views expressed are personal.