Essay On Childhood Trauma

Trauma, according to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, is defined as a disordered psychic or behavioral state resulting from severe mental or emotional stress or physical injury. Childhood trauma that often has lasting effects on the brain occurs during the ages of 0-3 (very early childhood), 4-11 (early childhood), and early adolescents. This type of trauma affects children behaviorally, emotionally, and cognitively.
Impact on Behavior Childhood trauma affects children’s behavior if they have a “complex trauma history”. Children with this type of history are usually easily “triggered” or are easily angered. According to the NCTSN it states, “As a result, complexly traumatized children may behave in ways that appear unpredictable, oppositional,

They have trouble expressing and managing emotions, as a result they may respond to a traumatic event with trembling, anger, sadness, or avoidance. NCTSN stated, “They often internalize and/or externalize stress reactions and as a result may experience significant depression, anxiety, or anger.. Their emotional responses may be unpredictable or explosive.” (“Effects of Complex Trauma”) Children who have experienced traumatic events are fearful all the time, and they are more likely to have severe depression and anxiety.
Impact on

Well they can start by being trauma-informed, which means being informed about and sensitive to trauma, and providing a safe, stable, and understanding environment for students and staff. The article , Unlocking the Door to Learning…, states, “ A primary goal is to prevent re-injury or re-traumatization by acknowledging trauma and its triggers, and avoiding stigmatizing and punishing students.”(Unlocking…) This allows the teachers know trauma students triggers and how to work around it whether then set off a trigger and causing that student to shut down completely or relive that traumatic experience and be re-traumatized all over