Effects of Childhood Trauma

We have covered trauma and the experience of trauma, but what exactly are the effects of Childhood Trauma? We learned that some things, such as "children are resilient" and "children won't remember" are complete myths. We learned that any traumatic experiences should be talked about and not ignored. It doesn't make it worse. Now we need to know what we can expect from children who have experienced trauma and it wasn't dealt with in a healthy manner. What will they be experiencing that we might not notice?

First off, trauma impacts the well-being and functioning of some very basic aspects of life. Also, remember that trauma effects are not all the same in all individuals. Just because one does xyz, doesn't mean they all will. Some may do zab and others may not have any effects at all. Again, two children raised in the same household with all the same traumatic events will both act and grow differently because their experiences will be different. Some may have psychological, emotional, and physical issues, while others may have social issues. It is all individualized.

Children and people (if left untreated into adulthood) may experience transition issues. It's really hard to transition and they need time to process this change. Others may experience survival mode at the ready. They lived mostly in their survival state. Remember, children and people in general, can not learn new things when in survival. This means that you may have a child that not only can not transition, but also goes into a meltdown and the very mentioning of changing activities.

Other common issues would be the management of emotions, anxiety, depression, inability to concentrate, and difficulty forming and maintaining relationships. Before labeling a child with a learning difference, stop and think of other things this behavior could indicate. Does the child honestly have a difficult time with school and behavior because of brain processing or has this child suffered trauma that hasn't been addressed? The basic needs have to be met in order to learn. The number one need is safety. Does the child feel safe? Does the child feel loved? Is the child able to learn in the environment you have provided them?

What happens when we decide that the trauma is not a big deal and we don't address the issues at hand? Although we like to judge things based on a 1-10 scale, trauma can not be judged in this manner. Remember tauma is an individual thing. It's always best to address it and find out than to assume nothing is wrong and move on as if it didn't happen. Untreated trauma can have lasting effects on behavior and learning throught the formative years. The child will struggle with academics and learning; they may have trouble making friends and being social. When left untreated, it follows them into adulthood where they may have health problems, including heart disease, cancer, obesity, diabetes, substance misuse, and others.

Wow!! That is a lot of things to consider as teachers. Teaching isn't for the light hearted. Not if you are truly trying to help children and families be the best they can be and form healthy habits and foundations. Being a teacher takes on a whole new responsibilty when you dive into the developmental issues. Let me tell you, my first job after receiving my teaching degree was an eye opener, but I'm glad I went through the Head Start experience before the public school. It made me aware of so many things that I was in the dark about and it helped me to grow as a teacher and as a mother. I'm still growing and learning now, decades later and I will continue to grow and learn in order to help myself, my children, my grandchildren and all the children and families I come in contact with around the world. 

You've probably come to the conclusion that you are hanging up your teacher hat. This is just too heavy of a burden for you. Before you make any hasty decisions, let me assure you that you can help. We need your help. We encourage you to stand up and take charge of your learning environment. How can you help? By becoming trained in trauma-informed practices and interventions. By providing in class safe places and making conversation a whole class thing. By being a support system to the child. Many children lack support and guideance, they seek out your attention through negative behaviors, your job is to find out why and then instill the feeling of safety and love in that child through your actions and your environment. Help them to learn healthy coping mechanisms. If left alone, they will learn to cope, but it will most likely be unhealthy coping strategies based on the simple will to survive, Or they will simply give up and take their own life because things just seem hopeless. Let's get them to safety before they make any of these unhealthy decisions. 

If you do not feel you are qualified to help, please refer them to a therapist or a counselor on site. Refer them to another teacher who may be better prepared for tauma intervention if there is not any on-site help. Document and observe before writing them off with a label. If we all work together for the common goal, the children will come out on the winning side.

I'm going to end there because this is heavy stuff for me. I want you to reach out to me if you are struglling. My contact info can be found on this site. If training is not available in your area, please contact me. If you want help, but want it to be a private thing, contact me. If you want support, contact me. If you want to vent, contact me. Before you ignore or give up, contact me or someone else that you can trust to help. Thank you.

As Always, Be Kind, With Love, Teacher Christy.