Signs & Symptoms

From a Child’s Perspective

Children communicate their distress in many different ways. In the days and weeks after a traumatic experience, children may exhibit the following common reactions:

Sleep disturbances: frequent nightmares, waking in the night, bedwetting

Separation anxiety: refusing to go to school, upset when left with babysitter or child care provider

Hyper-vigilance: worried, fearful, easily startled

Physical complaints: headaches, stomach aches, other aches and pains with no clear medical cause

Irritability: increased aggressive behavior, angry outbursts, difficult to soothe

Emotional upset: tearfulness, sadness, talking about scared feelings or scary ideas

Regression: loss of skills learned at an earlier age, "babyish" behavior

Withdrawal: loss of interest in friends, school or other activities child used to enjoy

Blunted emotions: shows no feelings at all, not bothered by anything, dissociation

Distractibility: trouble concentrating at school or home, daydreaming

Changes in play: repeatedly acting out violent events in play, less able to play spontaneously and creatively