Helping A Child To Cope With Trauma
January 9, 2009
When something untoward happens, the delicate mind of the child and can easily experience trauma, and the child’s suffering may show up either as blatant misconduct or as silent suffering. With today’s lifestyle it is definitely difficult to safeguard a child’s innocence, but when trauma strikes a child there is something we can definitely do to help the child feel safe and secure.
While in some cases you can see the symptoms of trauma almost immediately after the incident, in others the symptoms may take even months or years to show up. Being watchful can help in sensing the symptoms of trauma at an early stage, and the earlier you detect the symptoms the earlier you will be able to choose the most appropriate method to deal with the situation.
In terms of physical symptoms, the child may frequently complain of stomach ache or headache. The child may experience recurrent bouts of cold, low fever and a lack of strength, because stress inside him grows too much for the little brain to handle and consequently the immunity system starts weakening up. You may also observe some apparent change in sleeping and eating patterns of the child. The child may not be able to enjoy a sound sleep, and which may lead to lethargy and a general slowness in whatever he does.
When struck by a trauma, a child becomes hyper attentive to whatever is happening around him, and even small things can lead to heavy breathing, palpitations and cold sweating.
As for emotional and psychological symptoms, a trauma can leave your child almost insensitive. Slowly the child begins to distance away from all people around him, including his friends and family. At times you may see the child gazing into nothingness or maybe staying glued to the television while he may not actually be watching anything.
The child will long to be alone and may daydream for hours on a stretch. Irritability, lack of concentration and absent mindedness, are some other signs that could point towards trauma. While in some cases you may see an explosive temperament in others the child may quietly withdraw from day to day activities and relationships.
In the capacity of parents, you need to set up are healthy routine for the child to keep him involved in things and at the same time boost in him a feeling of safety and security. You need to make the child realize that you are always available whenever he needs you and that you will act as a shield to defend the child against future occurrences of the sort. Also let your child take small decisions to get his confidence and a sense of control back into his character. Nevertheless, seeking professional advice can also be quite helpful.
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