Traumatic events can happen to anyone, anytime
Most parents do everything they can to protect and ensure the safety of their children. However, events can occur that are sometimes out of our control. What defines a traumatic event varies somewhat from person to person, but it typically is something out of the range of ordinary experiences.
Examples include: domestic violence, criminal activities, sexual assault, bullying at school, natural disaster, loss of a loved one, unsafe surroundings, serious illness, consistent feelings of being threatened, a major disruption in lifestyle, such as divorce or change of school, or physical injury from animals, people or accidents.
Children may benefit from working with a mental health professional if they are:
- Thinking often about the trauma, having intrusive thoughts about the trauma, or having difficulty concentrating in school
- Experiencing frequent nightmares
- Having flashbacks about the event, or feeling like it’s happening again
- Suffering from physical symptoms, such as sweating, rapid heart rate or breathing, muscle tension, or feeling on edge
- Dealing with intense sadness, irritability, anger or fear related to the event
- Exhibiting any behavior that seems out of the ordinary, such as clinging to adults, not wanting to be alone, dropping in school performance, drug or alcohol use, thoughts of self harm, trouble with concentration, or changes in eating and sleeping habits