Children can get PTSD after an accident
YOUNG SURVIVORS OF MAJOR ACCIDENTS (PTSD AND COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY):
Children have an amazing ability to survive accidents where a parent is killed or severely injured. If you are a family member or caretaker of such a child, there are signs to watch out for. Contrary to what some believe, children can end up with the signs and symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD causes fear long after a major crash – even when there is no actual danger. A fancy term for this is something called hypervigilance. This is where the person or child is constantly on guard against something bad happening even when they are in a safe place. Children have problems expressing their fears and emotions. We all need to be on the lookout for the signs of PTSD to protect our kids.
PTSD IN YOUNGER CHILDREN
Memory loss following a major event is something that we see in adults. Younger children may not have problems remembering parts of a major crash. On the other hand, children sometimes put the events of a major accident in the wrong order. Younger children sometimes show signs of PTSD in what they do while they are playing. They will sometimes repeat a part of the trauma over and over. Typically, this will not offer much help to the child in getting over the emotions and fear caused by the event that triggered PTSD in the first place. However, as described below, there are good and effective ways to help younger children.
PTSD IN TEENAGERS
The more common signs of PTSD in teenagers are somewhat different from younger children and somewhat different from adults. Some PTSD symptoms in teenagers are very similar to those of adults. However, teenagers are more likely than younger children or adults to show aggressive behaviors.
PTSD IN ALL CHILDREN
Common signs and symptoms of PTSD are worry, sadness, anger, and loneliness. Some kids feels as if people are looking down on them. They often have problems with trust. All of these can be pre-cursors to problems with alcohol or drugs.
TREATMENT
David Byrne is one of the Doctors who has had tremendous success in treating patients who have problems with sadness, depression, and anxiety. This form of treatment can seem too easy to be true. But, it requires discipline in following the recommendations of the Doctor. Part of the treatment involves having the child who is suffering write down their thoughts. The child might write down a thought of, “I’m no good.” The child is then taught how to fight against their own thoughts. The child will take a pen and paper and write down all the reasons that they are “good”; and that there are good and bad things about all people. Similarly, the person who is suffering might write down, “I’m scared of everything.” They are then taught to write down all the things that they are not afraid of. Later, they are encouraged to write down anything that they have recently done where they were not afraid. In this way, the person is taught to fight back against their own negative thoughts. The child convinces themself that they are not “scared of everything”. Doctors and the children they see have had amazing success with this simple form of treatment. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has had tremendous success in saving those who have had little or no relief from other forms of therapy.
FURTHER HELP
We work with professional who specialize in helping kids deal with their fear and emotions. If you need further help in dealing with the consequences of a major crash, feel free to give me a call at 727-669-2828.
Steve Mortimer, B.A., M.A., J.D.