Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Children with posttraumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, may have intense fear and anxiety; become emotionally numb or easily irritable; or avoid places, people, or activities after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic or life-threatening event.
These events can include a serious accident, violent assault, physical abuse, or a natural disaster.
Children with PTSD often re-experience the trauma of the event through nightmares or flashbacks, or re-create them through play.
They can have difficulty sleeping or concentrating.
Other symptoms include nervousness about one’s surroundings, acting jumpy around loud noises, and
withdrawing from friends and family.
Symptoms may not appear until several months or even years after the event.
Not every child who experiences or witnesses a traumatic event will develop PTSD. It is normal to be fearful, sad, or apprehensive after such events, and many children will recover from these feelings in a short time.
Children most at risk for PTSD are those who directly witnessed a traumatic event, who suffered directly (such as injury or the death of a parent), had mental health problems before the event, and who lack a strong support network.
Violence at home also increases a child’s risk of developing PTSD after a traumatic event.