10 Facts About Trauma and Kids

We are so excited for tonight! Preparedness fairs are the best and you’ll find that there is always something new to learn from them. We’re really looking forward to being able to share the Lake Oswego Oregon Preparedness Fair with you over at Facebook LIVE.

Tune in HERE at our Facebook Page at 5 PM Pacific time for a Facebook Live tour of the fair. You’ll get to see my booth and I’ll show you around, so you can see the other folks participating in the fair. Hop on over now and leave us your questions, we want to know what you’d like to learn about preparedness.

I’d love to be able to answer your questions and snag someone to join in while answering them live.

If you live in the Portland Oregon metro area come find me and introduce yourself and enjoy the event. Tyra will be presenting LIVE at 7:15 PM PST. Whether you’re planning to attend via Facebook, or in person be sure to download the handout for easy note taking and so you’ll have info to add to your emergency kits.

Download the Trauma and Children Handout 

In Preparation for Tonight’s Presentation Here Are 10 Facts About Trauma and Kids:

1. Trauma is actual and based on the perspective of the individual as much as the actual event. The event triggers fight or flight, a stress response, however, the perception determines the amount. When an event brings feelings of being threatened and/or powerlessness the system can be overloaded by the stress response and this is where trauma occurs.
2. Trauma can come from a single event or stressor, or from ongoing exposure to stressors. It can also come from the effects of the event, instead of the actual event. Having to relocate or the loss of a loved one, are examples of secondary trauma
3. Trauma disrupts three centers in the brain:
   -Threat perception: the fight of flight response switch gets sticky, so kids get stuck in that state. This is easily and quickly triggered.
   -Filtering system: the ability to distinguish what’s threatening and what’s not, gets jumbled. This means that kids can misinterpret unthreatening events or stimuli as threatening. These are often called triggers.
   -Self-Sensing (midline): the part of the body that feels (sensory and emotional) goes into defense mode resulting in a dulling effect on the body and emotions. In other terms ii initiates a sensory processing dis-regulation. Stimuli are misinterpreted, making connections within the system and outside with other people, causing an extreme disconnect.
4. Recovery is not a return to “normal. The brain has been effectively altered to have a permanent effect on the body and perception. You are in fact rebuilding a new route back to their original functions. Therefore, rewiring the brain and perception.
5. Children react differently than adults, they lack the comprehension, problem-solving, and experiences needed to perceive a disaster or traumatic events in a more mature way. So children view the disaster as a personal threat. Disasters and events can be interpreted as a consequence, or the effect of their actions, instead of being a cause that created the painful experience.
6. Children experience trauma doubly. Once through the event and then again through how those around them react to it. Children feed off of, and imitate, those they look up to. They also take their cues on how to respond to an event or new experience from their parents and caregivers. We have the power to influence how they perceive these events, both now, during, and after a disaster.
7. Children’s brains are still developing, so trauma disrupts that process and the corresponding milestones. This is why regression and delays are so common in children struggling with trauma. Try addressing the trauma instead of the behaviors that are manifesting. Don’t label as “bad” or “disobedience” while supporting them in hitting those developmental milestones with proper interventions.
8. Children’s imagination will fill in the blanks and what is incomprehensible to them, in order to explain the experience and its consequences. This is why educating them about disasters is so important. It gives their imagination less ground to work with, and they have more context to go off of them.
9. Symptoms will vary by age and child and manifest in a more physical nature. These also manifest when under high levels of stress. So your kid gets a stomach ache the day of a test, but he is fine the rest of the day. He may just be stressed and nervous about the test. Knowing these symptoms can give clues to what your child is experiencing in life.
10. Don’t hesitate to get help if the symptoms are extreme and long lasting. Forms of extreme trauma and difficulty coping with it are depression, anxiety, and PTSD. These are good to be aware of and require professional intervention. Although continuing those practices and techniques that improve coping are still beneficial and working, the trauma is much deeper and you will need help.

Check back Friday for answers to your questions and information on how to help your kids deal with trauma. I’ve got a special treat for you when you do.

See you soon!

To get notified when Tyra goes LIVE follow these steps:

1- Go to PreparednessMama;s Facebook Page

2- click the arrow in the top right corner of our the pinned post

3- click the “turn on live notifications”

Viola! Stay tuned!