Children who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event in the past two weeks

Children who experience, witness or hear about a traumatic event may be affected emotionally, socially and physically. Most children will recover after several days though for some it might take several weeks.

A traumatic event is an event that involves actual or threatened death or serious injury. The threat can be real or perceived as real by the child. Children who experience traumatic events typically suffer from intense emotional, physical, and/or psychological distress. Intervention and support are best implemented within the first 24 to 48 hours following the event.

To help reduce the likelihood of on-going difficulties and/or the onset of further trauma, support is particularly important during the two weeks following the incident.

What is a traumatic event?

Traumatic events may include experiencing or witnessing:

• a serious accident, such as a car crash
• a natural disaster, such as a bushfire, flood or major cyclone
• a physical attack or assault, including:
• being threatened with a weapon
• family violence
• being held captive
• being tortured
• damage or destruction of home
• death or serious injury
• sexual assault
• war
• any other extremely stressful or upsetting event that threatens the safety and stability of the children’s world and/or that of people close to them.

Behaviours

Children who have experienced trauma may exhibit some of the following behaviours:

• themes of the trauma repeatedly coming out in play, writing or drawing
• avoiding situations or things that remind them of the trauma, or repeatedly wanting to talk about the incident
• decreased interest in activities
• withdrawing from teachers and friends
• impairment in social functioning
• changes in behaviour, including irritability, anger or aggressive reactions
• emotional numbing or emotionally distancing themselves from others
• difficulty concentrating
• increases in motor activity—fidgeting, moving around the classroom
• decline in academic performance
• increase in school absence
• physical symptoms, such as headaches and stomach aches
• being startled easily, for example by loud noises
• acting young for their age, for example, clinging to adults, whining, throwing tantrums
• being ‘on alert’ or hyper-vigilant
• relating nightmares associated with the trauma to teachers or other students
• sleeping difficulties
• asking questions or talking about death.

Traumatic events at school

Typically, if a traumatic event occurs at school or during school hours, the principal decides, in consultation with others, on the type and level of support to assist anyone who may have experienced, witnessed or learnt about a life-threatening or traumatic event. Education departments and other school governing authorities generally provide psychological advice and direct support following these critical incidents or emergency management situations.

Traumatic events at school

Typically, if a traumatic event occurs at school or during school hours, the principal decides, in consultation with others, on the type and level of support to assist anyone who may have experienced, witnessed or learnt about a life-threatening or traumatic event. Education departments and other school governing authorities generally provide psychological advice and direct support following these critical incidents or emergency management situations.

When to seek further assistance

If a child has been displaying a number of the above behaviours for more than one month following the traumatic event, it is recommended that you refer them, via their parents, to a psychologist or the family doctor. If the child is left untreated, a type of anxiety disorder that occurs following exposure to a life-threatening or extreme traumatic event may develop, which can remain with the child through adolescence and into adulthood. A diagnosis and treatment will require consultation with a mental health practitioner or doctor.

Strategies to support the child who has experienced or witnessed a traumatic event in the past two weeks

Immediately following a traumatic event, it is important to help provide a sense of stability in the child’s life and to acknowledge and validate the child’s emotions as normal reactions.

Maintain normal classroom routines and rules

Encourage the child to maintain participation in normal school routines as much as possible.

• Let the child know it is okay to be angry or sad but it’s not okay to say hurtful things or physically hurt anyone. Listen to the child but maintain usual safety boundaries. Children typically take out anger on people they feel safe with or close to.
• Modify your expectations of the child.The child may require class work and/or homework to be modified or reduced. You can also allow the child more time to complete tests, projects or assignments.

Find more information on helping children who have experienced recent trauma and relevant resources by becoming a member and signing in to download.

ISBN978-1-921908-12-5 Copyright © Murray Evely and Zoe Ganim 2011
No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. Click here to read copyright details, a summary of the licence and terms and conditions to use and reproduce our digital materials granted to authorised users.