Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

• The violence they’ve suffered
• The extent to which the event carries meaning for the patient
• The length of time which has passed since the event occurred
• The coping mechanisms and personality of the patient when encountering stressful situations
• The age of the child
• Their past experiences
• The environment they inhabit
• The lack of a social support network
• A child who must live with emotional and social hardships on a daily basis

The emotional state of the child’s parents, which may reflect their anxieties and sadness regarding the event itself, plays a huge role in a child developing PTSD. This includes whether or not the parents offer their child support and encouragement, as well as the state of their relationship with the child and how they choose to raise the child.

Treatment and support are considered to be vital and should be carried out as soon as possible, especially for the initial symptoms that arise after a traumatic event. If these symptoms are left untreated and overlooked, or if the treatment and assistance are not offered soon enough, that child may develop chronic symptoms that last into adulthood and beyond.

1. Keeping a close eye on the emotional wellbeing of the patient
2. Speedy rehabilitation of their surrounding community
3. Screening for symptoms, behavioral observations and analysis of the child’s symptoms
4. Analysis of the extent to which the patient’s life has been affected by the distressing events, in order to find out whether they are suffering from any other psychological disorders, including:
   • Depression
   • Anxiety disorder
   • Phobias
   • Alcohol or drug addiction
     (Parents and guardians are especially important when it comes to carrying out the analysis.)

Emotional support treatment which consists of psychotherapy in various forms, including:

1.Trauma-focused cognitive therapy: This begins with chatting to the child about the events that have occurred alongside providing them with suggestions about how to relieve any fears that may arise from certain situations. Additionally, advice may be offered on how to adjust their beliefs and thoughts about what happened at that time, so that they can be trained in how to regulate their emotions in order to deal with any negative feelings they may be experiencing. Parents and guardians also play a part as they can help build the child’s understanding through talking to them about their own feelings regarding the situation that occurred and how they deal with the resulting emotional distress. This includes using their parental skills in helping the child to alter any inappropriate behavioral responses they may be displaying in a way that ensures they know how to react appropriately thereafter.

Cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT): This involves carrying out personalized psychotherapy.

• Child-parent psychotherapy and family therapy are considered effective in collectively analyzing ways to deal with emotional stress and discomfort as well as working out solutions to issues for which parents and guardians can offer support to the child.
• This type of therapy involves making changes and finding ways to adjust the child’s environment by providing teachers, parents, children and anyone connected to the patient with knowledge about PTSD. This includes co-prognosis of the condition and making plans for the family to get back together as soon as possible. Additionally, managing their school environment, so that the child can make a speedy return to normality, providing them with safety and stability at home and within the community, and ensuring preventative measures are in place to stop any repeat of the distressing events occurring will all go a long way to meeting the emotional needs of the child.

Currently, the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) group of medications, such as sertraline and paroxetine, are effective in the treatment of adult sufferers. However, studies into their effect on children with PTSD remain inconclusive.Therefore, the use of medication to treat children and adolescents with PTSD should be carefully considered on a case-by-case basis.

• The child’s main caregiver is of the utmost importance in ensuring that the child’s needs are met, that they are offered support and encouragement, and that they are listened to. This will all help to ensure that the child feels confident that they have someone on whom they can depend to offer them care and protection.
• Avoid giving interviews that are not part of the child’s treatment or interviews which are to be broadcast through media outlets.
• Do not constantly ask the child involved to repeat or relate the events that they experienced.
• Do not constantly refer to the event in a way that may cause the child to feel responsible but instead ensure an environment whereby the child feels comfortable if they wish to talk to someone about their feelings regarding the event.
• Try to ensure the child has every chance to partake in everyday activities so that they can make a return to normality as soon as possible. Parents and guardians are required to play their part by offering constant emotional encouragement and support, because they play the most important role in helping to treat that child’s symptoms or condition which has occurred as a result of extreme trauma.