What is childhood trauma? A child or teen may experience an intense, scary event that threatens his or her emotional and/or physical well-being, known as a traumatic event. These events may include, but are not limited to:

• A serious car accident
• Loss of a loved one
• Witnessing or experiencing violence or injury
• Physical or sexual abuse
• Natural disasters
• Accidents and medical procedures

Concerns parents commonly observe in children after a traumatic event include:

• Heightened levels of anxiety or fear
• Feeling that they are regularly reliving or re-experiencing their trauma
• Difficulty sleeping or nightmares
• Irritability or more frequent ‘tantrums’ in younger children
• Avoidance of people, places, and things that remind them of their traumatic experience.

These emotional and behavioral reactions to trauma commonly interfere in children’s daily life and affect behavior, school performance, and peer and family relationships.

What treatment can help for childhood trauma? Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) is a well-established, research supported treatment. It has been shown to help children who are experiencing significant emotional and behavioral difficulties following traumatic life-events.