As we approach the serious topic of trauma, particularly in children, it is important that we are careful to define what trauma is. Often the term is used to encompass any difficult experience. Sometimes it is used in humor as when people tease each other about how they impact one another. To avoid any misunderstandings about how trauma should be defined, I will use the definitions and/or examples that are referred to in the Vermont CUPS Handbook.
Understanding trauma
Trauma is defined as a physical or psychological threat or assault to a child’s physical integrity, sense of self, safety or survival, or to the physical safety of another person significant to the child (p. 170). Children may experience trauma as a result of a number of circumstances, such as:
- Abuse (including sexual, physical, emotional)
- Exposure to domestic violence
- Severe natural disaster such as a flood, fire, earthquake or tornado
- War or other military actions
- Abandonment
- Witness to violence in the neighborhood or school setting (including fights, drive-by shootings, and law enforcement actions)
- Personal attack by another person or an animal
- Kidnapping
- Severe bullying
- Medical procedure, surgery, accident or serious illness
Trauma not only involves the incident or perceived threat but also the physical or psychological consequences of that threat or incident.
Psychiatric trauma
According to MedicineNet.com psychiatric trauma involves “an experience that is emotionally painful, distressful, or shocking and which may result in lasting mental and physical effects.
Psychiatric trauma is essentially a normal response to an extreme event. It involves the creation of emotional memories about the distressful event that are stored in structures deep within the brain. In general, it is believed that the more direct the exposure to the traumatic event, the higher the risk for emotional harm.”
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a term that is used prevalently used in our society. Particularly with adults, PTSD describes the long-term effects of trauma.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as defined by Dr. David Baldwin (http://www.trauma-pages.com/) states that PTSD “…is the most common diagnostic category used to describe symptoms arising from emotionally traumatic experience(s). This disorder presumes that the person experienced a traumatic event involving actual or threatened death or injury to themselves or others – and where they felt fear, helplessness or horror.
Three additional symptom clusters, if they persist for more than a month after the traumatic event and cause clinically significant distress or impairment, make up the diagnostic criteria. The three main symptom clusters in PTSD are: Intrusions, such as flashbacks or nightmares, where the traumatic event is re-experienced. Avoidance, when the person tries to reduce exposure to people or things that might bring on their interested symptoms. Hyperarousal, meaning physiologic signs of increased arousal, such as hypervigilance or increased startle response.”
These definitions, terms and impact of trauma will be important to understand as we discuss this vital topic that has impacted all of us in our families and communities. It is my hope that as a result of these posts on trauma we will develop new trauma lenses for those around us who have been impacted by these fearful situations.
Gerry Vassar, President/CEO, Lakeside Educational Network
Information taken from Enhancing Trauma Awareness, Diane Wagenhals, 2008. All rights reserved. Licensed materials.
3 Comments
our 14 years old grand daughther has been told she has Athelete’s Trauma. But I can not fine anything printed about it. Help this child was in a lot of pain and all her Mother could say was to get her to relax and see what happen. I gave her some ice packs to place on different parts of her body , She said they help some.
PLease let me know more about this so I can help her more next time she spents the night with me. Thanks. Diana Hodges
I am 41 years old and the mother of 2 adult sons. I was the victim of a shooting and alcoholic father. The shooting occurred during an argument between my mother and father. My father waved and shot his pistol at the appliances in the kitchen to intimidate and gain complete control of the situation. During his outburst I was hit by a stray bullet. I was 4 1/2 yrs old. My father was controlling and intimidating my entire life. My mother also conspired with him to hide the truth of the incodent by claiming it was accidental due to my taking the gun from the top of the television where my father supposedly had laid the gun. I have suffered from bulimia and severe co dependency issues. I am now in college and doing better than I have at any time in the past. A counselor recently suggested that I may have suffered from post traumatic stress disorder. Is this something that I should consider seeing additional counseling for?
Trauma results from anything that places you in the position of the victim and causes you to suffer moderate to long term mental, emotional, and possibly physical stress. (i.e. violence, death, sickness, etc.)Thank You
Shawn, Thank you so much for writing. From the experiences you have described, I would certainly say that you are a strong candidate for PTSD and maybe some other trauma-related syndromes. I strongly recommend that you engage a counselor who is trauma-informed and process what has happened to you and how it has impacted your life. I am quite sure it will help you with some of the issues you have mentioned. I do hope you can find someone to help. I am glad you are planning to be proactive and I wish you the best of luck as you attempt to find healing for these traumatic events in your childhood.