PTSD in Children

For children who experience traumatic events, common responses include "a loss of trust and a fear of the event happening again...though most children recover a few weeks after the event" (National Institute of Mental Health). However, some children might require medical attention for PTSD when symptoms arise reflecting the child's developmental age. Children under 12 might be experiencing PTSD if they display the following behaviors:

• getting upset when parents are not close by
• having trouble sleeping; nightmares
• acting out trauma through play, drawings, or stories
• avoiding schoolwork or friends

Older children tend to have symptoms similar to adults, including "depression, anxiety, withdrawal, or reckless behavior like substance abuse or running away" (National Center for PTSD).