Childhood Trauma and Your Family

What is childhood trauma?

It can happen because of hard or stressful experiences when you are a child. These are sometimes called adverse childhood experiences. These may be:

• Emotional, physical, or sexual abuse
• Having a family member with severe mental illness
• Seeing violence
• Caregiver substance abuse
• Parents separating or divorcing
• Living through a natural disaster (like a tornado or flood) or an accident
• Having a severe illness
• Other events that make a child feel unsafe

How can I tell if my child is stressed because of trauma?

It may be hard to tell if your child is having trouble after a traumatic event. If an event(s) causes too much stress, your child may show some of these signs:

• Being more angry, scared, or sad than normal
• Having nightmares or re-living the event through play
• Staying away from people or places that remind them of the event
• Feeling numbness or shock
• Being very tired most of the time
• Complaining of aches or pains without a clear reason
• Feeling helpless or hopeless

How common is childhood trauma?

Unfortunately, trauma happens often. Some children and families go through more than one trauma. This may make it harder to heal.

How can childhood trauma affect health?

Ongoing or frequent traumatic events can cause severe stress. This is called toxic stress. Toxic stress can affect a child’s brain and health. This can lead to:

• Trouble learning and doing schoolwork
• Angry, aggressive, or challenging behaviors
• Trouble making friends
• Getting sick more often
• Problems with drugs, alcohol, and smoking
• Mental health problems, such as anxiety or depression
• Health problems, such as heart or lung disease

How can I protect my child from effects of trauma?

There are things you can do to protect your child. Children are very strong and can heal.

Sometimes families can care for each other and start to feel better. Other times, it can be helpful to use resources in your community, such as:

• Talking to a doctor, school counselor, or a spiritual or religious leader
• Getting help from a therapist or mental health professional trained in child and family trauma
• Asking family and friends for support
• Using state or community programs that help with housing, jobs, food, money, or other needs
• Helping your child build confidence and strength by:
  • Signing them up for team activities
  • Helping them make friends
  • Encouraging them to have a healthy relationship with a trusted and caring adult
  • Giving them choices