PTSD in Children and Adolescents may not be a familiar term earlier but in recent Pandemic situation and unusual circumstances, children may experience high stress level that affects their thinking ability. Children who experience prolonged severe stress due to any physical or mental injury, death of close ones, violence may be diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Events that could cause PTSD in children:

• Physical, sexual or emotional abuse
• Victim of violence or crime
• Serious illness
• Disasters
• Accidents

Children may have the symptoms like

• Reviving the tragic incident over and over again
• Insomnia or Nightmares
• Lack of positivity
• Intense fear or depression
• Sudden Outbursts
• Withdrawn syndrome
• Avoiding places or people associated with the event
• Adolescents with PTSD may display self-destructive behaviour and guilt.

Children who have experienced traumatic stress may seem restless, nervous, lacking attention and unorganized.

PTSD Treatment

The first step to treatment is to TALK and SHARE!
For a PTSD diagnosis, a specific event must have prompted the symptoms and children may feel hesitant in talking about the event. An experienced healthcare professional who is highly skilled in interacting with children and families may be needed. Once the diagnosis is done, the following procedure and methods can be opted:

1. The first step is to create a healthy and cheerful atmosphere around the child that makes him or her feel safe. Excessive support from parents, friends, and society is required.
   1. Psychotherapy where child can speak, draw, play, or write about the stressful event. It can be done individually or as a group activity.
   1. Cognitive-Behavioural therapy helps children learn to change thoughts and feelings by changing behaviour in order to lessen the fear or anxiety.
   1. Medication can be prescribed to help in relieving distress and anxiety.

Prevention of PTSD

PTSD syndrome cannot be defined or presumed in lifetime. Its very hard to identify the children mind-set as they themselves are unable to understand their behaviour. Many factors may play a role, including biology and temperament.  But preventing risks for trauma, like abuse, violence or injuries, or lessening the impact of unavoidable disasters on children, can help protect a child from PTSD.

Reference: https://www.cdc.gov/