Module 2: What are the Symptoms of a Traumatized Child?
What Should Teachers Know about Trauma?
Trauma can be triggered by anything that reminds a person of the traumatic event, including sights, sounds, smells or thoughts.
When trauma is triggered, a student may freeze, can begin to feel helpless, panicked, unsafe or overwhelmed with emotion, and they might even feel like they are re-experiencing the traumatic event.
It is often difficult for children to identify, express, and manage their emotions in response to a trigger.
The Traumatic Response
Teachers are critical in influencing the traumatic response. In the traumatic response scenario, students often suffer from a traumatic experience and generally cope to the best of their ability. Unfortunately, it is common for the coping mechanism to be inadequate. Often adults perceive the student who is trying to cope in a negative light. The adult's reaction, and sometimes the consequence, confirms the students beliefs (e.g., I am not loveable, worthy, good, etc.). And the pattern continues without the student receiving help or healing from their experience.
Trauma can be triggered by anything that reminds a person of the traumatic event, including sights, sounds, smells or thoughts.
When trauma is triggered, a student may freeze, can begin to feel helpless, panicked, unsafe or overwhelmed with emotion, and they might even feel like they are re-experiencing the traumatic event.
It is often difficult for children to identify, express, and manage their emotions in response to a trigger.
The Traumatic Response
Teachers are critical in influencing the traumatic response. In the traumatic response scenario, students often suffer from a traumatic experience and generally cope to the best of their ability. Unfortunately, it is common for the coping mechanism to be inadequate. Often adults perceive the student who is trying to cope in a negative light. The adult's reaction, and sometimes the consequence, confirms the students beliefs (e.g., I am not loveable, worthy, good, etc.). And the pattern continues without the student receiving help or healing from their experience.
The Trauma-Informed Response
In a trauma-informed response, it is like the earlier traumatic response. However, three steps can change the outcome. In the same scenario, the student suffers a traumatic experience, has a trigger event or memory, and copes the best way they know how. The adult recognizes the student's behavior in time as a trauma symptom and takes a trauma-informed approach by getting support. With the aid of the school and teacher, the student begins to get help. Over time, the student learns to feel safe in a trusted environment and copes and heals from their traumatic experience. The adult's reaction can help if the student learns how to self regulate and manage the intensity of their reaction.
In a trauma-informed response, it is like the earlier traumatic response. However, three steps can change the outcome. In the same scenario, the student suffers a traumatic experience, has a trigger event or memory, and copes the best way they know how. The adult recognizes the student's behavior in time as a trauma symptom and takes a trauma-informed approach by getting support. With the aid of the school and teacher, the student begins to get help. Over time, the student learns to feel safe in a trusted environment and copes and heals from their traumatic experience. The adult's reaction can help if the student learns how to self regulate and manage the intensity of their reaction.
What You Might Observe in Students Who Have Experienced Trauma
Select one or more of the tabs below to learn about the symptoms and stories of children who have experienced trauma.
Select one or more of the tabs below to learn about the symptoms and stories of children who have experienced trauma.
Preschool Case 1: Andriy's Story