It is an ultimate irony that at the time when the human is most vulnerable to the effects of trauma during infancy and childhood adults generally presume the most resilient. (Perry, 1996)

This destructive misperception has permeated the mental health field for years. Just in the last ten years alone, our society has spent billions of dollars studying and treating adult trauma victims, primarily male combat veterans, while few resources have been dedicated to research or treatment focusing on childhood trauma even though millions of children across the world are exposed to traumatic experiences.

While no epidemiological data regarding childhood Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is available, conservative estimates can be made based upon the incidence of traumatic events in the childhood population. Maltreatment of children is estimated to exceed 1.5 million children per year (National Incidence Study, US Dept. Health/Human Services, 1988). Conservative estimates of the number of children in the United States exposed to a traumatic event in one year exceed 4 million. These experiences include, children who live in the fallout zone of domestic or community violence, have experienced physical or sexual abuse, have witnessed or experienced violent crime, or have been exposed to other sudden, unexpected man-made violence such as car accidents, burn accidents, kidnappings, etc.

Depending on the severity, frequency, nature and pattern of the traumatic event(s), these children are at a great risk for developing profound emotional, behavioral, physiological, cognitive and social problems. Because the developing brain organizes and internalizes new information in a use-dependent fashion, the more a child has experienced trauma, the more likely they are to develop acute adaptive states, that when they persist, can become maladaptive traits. At least half of all children exposed to traumatic experiences therefore may be expected to develop a variety of significant neuropsychiatic symptoms in adolescence and adulthood.

School teachers, administrators and other personnel within the school system are left alone to deal not only with the maladaptive behaviors of the traumatized children they work with, but with the vicarious traumatization they develop as a result of being exposed to the childrens PTSD symptoms on a daily basis. Given these daunting statistics and the present reality of PTSD within the school system, educators and school personnel should be provided with the opportunity to educate themselves on the symptoms and effects of trauma as well as preventative methods for dealing with PTSD.

These insights are the summarized findings compiled from two articles on childhood trauma by Dr. Bruce Perry.

Childhood Trauma, the Neurobiology of Adaptation and Use-Dependent Development of the Brain: How States Become Traits. by Bruce D. Perry, M.D., In Press: Infant Mental Health Journal, 1996.

Neurobiological Sequel of Childhood Trauma: Post Traumatic Stress Disorders in Children. In: Catecholamine Function in  Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: Emerging Concepts:  by Bruce Perry. M.D., (M Murburg, Ed.) American Psychiatric Press, Washington, DC, pp. 253-276, 1994.

---

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Information on this site is for information purposes only and not intended to constitute professional advice as circumstances will vary from person to person. Likewise, the results and the performance of Trauma Releasing Exercises and the additional trauma information is assumed by the user, and in no event shall TRAPS or David Berceli be liable for any consequential, incidental or direct injuries suffered in the course of using the exercises or information in this web site. Use of the information contained in this web site may contain restrictions on use.