Psychological trauma & children

According to The National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children (TLC, 2010), there are some startling facts about trauma in children:

·       More than 40% of children and teens have endured at least one traumatic event, resulting in the development of PTSD in up to 15% of girls and 6% of boys

·       Some 8,000,000 children are maltreated each year through neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse and intimate partner violence, resulting in developmental trauma disorder (DTD)

·       On average, 3% - 6% of high school students in the United States and as many as 30% - 60% of children who have survived specific disasters have PTSD

·       Up to 100% of children who have seen a parent killed or endured sexual assault tend to develop PTSD and more than one-third of youth who are exposed to community violence will suffer from PTSD or DTD

·       25% of car accident survivors where there was a fatality develop PTSD

·       34% of children with a deployed military parent develop PTSD

From the figures above, it is evident that trauma is everywhere and impacting the children from many different aspects of their lives. Steele and Raider (2009) argued that children should enjoy a protected period of innocence and grow up under optimal conditions of human development. However, even the most resilient children are challenged by the intrusion of serious traumatic events in modern times.

Reference:

Steele, W., & Raider, M. (2009). Structured sensory intervention for traumatized children, adolescents and parents (SITCAP): Evidence based interventions to alleviate trauma. NY: Edwin Mellen Press.

The National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children. (2010). From trauma to resilience: short-term help long-term gains. Clinton Township: Starr Commonwealth.