Here are tools to find a healthcare provider familiar with treatment options: Medication may also be used to decrease symptoms. Behavior therapy, specifically cognitive-behavioral therapy, helps children learn to change thoughts and feelings by first changing behavior in order to reduce the fear or worry. Psychotherapy in which the child can speak, draw, play, or write about the stressful event can be done with the child, the family, or a group. Once the diagnosis is made, the first step is to make the child feel safe by getting support from parents, friends, and school, and by minimizing the chance of another traumatic event to the extent possible. Because the event was distressing, children may not want to talk about the event, so a health provider who is highly skilled in talking with children and families may be needed. For a PTSD diagnosis, a specific event must have triggered the symptoms. The first step to treatment is to talk with a healthcare provider to arrange an evaluation. Learn about the guidelines for diagnosing and treating PTSD Serious illness or death of a close family member or friend.Being a victim or witness to violence or crime.Physical, sexual, or emotional maltreatment.Read a guide for clinicians on deciding if it is ADHD or child traumatic stress.Įxamples of events that could cause PTSD include

Avoiding places or people associated with the eventīecause children who have experienced traumatic stress may seem restless, fidgety, or have trouble paying attention and staying organized, the symptoms of traumatic stress can be confused with symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Denying that the event happened or feeling numb.

Constantly looking for possible threats, being easily startled.

Becoming very upset when something causes memories of the event.

Reliving the event over and over in thought or in play.

When children develop long term symptoms (longer than one month) from such stress, which are upsetting or interfere with their relationships and activities, they may be diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The child could experience this trauma directly or could witness it happening to someone else. However, sometimes children who experience severe stress, such as from an injury, from the death or threatened death of a close family member or friend, or from violence, will be affected long-term. Most of the time, children recover quickly and well.

All children may experience very stressful events that affect how they think and feel.

Dsm 5 criteria for child ptsd