Psychological Disorders of Children in Crises
Wars are traumatic to children, especially young children.
Children in Crises can experience various
developmental delays and psychosocial disorders. In this page, we are
trying to help adults to identify children and who are
suffering from post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD). We will
first define what are post-traumatic stress disorders. We will then
describe the symptoms, which may help parents, teachers, and
fieldworkers to identify children with post-traumatic
stress disorders. We will also share some "trauma help sheets"
with you. Lastly, we are developing a help line to respond to your
questions.
What are post-traumatic stress disorders?
For years, post-traumatic stress disorders were believed to occur among
adults who are traumatized by wars or disasters. Recent studies, however,
have shown that children are likely to develop
post-traumatic stress disorders because of an increasing exposure to armed
conflicts and violence in society. According to Duane Brown in
"Counseling the Victims of Violence who Develop Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder," children and adolescents who are exposed to violence by
hearing about violent acts, witnessing violence or being victims of
violence themselves. Often this will destroy the assumptions children have
about their world and they begin to see their future as futile. These children are
developing post-traumatic stress disorders.
What are the
symptoms?
Given the fact that children of different
ages may have responded differently to their traumatic experiences, there
are some symptoms which adults can observe or identify - for instance,
depression, dissociation, emotional detachment, fear, guilty feelings,
hypervigilance, irritability, etc. According to Duane Brown, young
children who are experiencing post-traumatic stress disorders may have
difficulty articulating their problems and hence, feel helpless and
generalize their fear to people and events in their lives. They may also
have difficulties going to sleep or simply have nightmares when they
sleep. Older children, who can probably reiterate their traumatic
experiences in play, can also have difficulties concentrating and
sleeping. As a teacher or fieldworker, you may well be the first person
to recognize whether a child has exhibited some of the symptoms mentioned
earlier. It is important for you to take Duane Brown's caution that a
child does not necessarily have to have all the symptoms to be classified
as having post-traumatic stress disorder.
As a field worker, parent or teacher, what can you do for children with
post-traumatic stress disorders?
As a field worker, parent or teacher, you may need to identify these
children, but only a trained person should diagnose and provide therapy. We have found some help sheets and treatment manuals, some of
written by workers in the field. Please locate them at the index table
below. We have also incorporated into the index table some ongoing
projects and upcoming conferences on post-traumatic stress disorders. We
are still researching the most relevant literature, but in the meantime,
we recommend that you to explore these web sites to see what you can do to help
children who are suffering from post-traumatic stress
disorders.
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