Trauma in Young Children
Definitions of trauma vary, but generally trauma is:
An event or series of events (often sudden or unexpected) that
Are perceived as dangerous and may involve a threat of or actual physical harm and
Are deeply distressing, overwhelming our emotional abilities to cope
Since trauma is defined by the individual's ability to cope, what is traumatic to one person may not be traumatic to another and individual responses to potentially traumatic events will vary. One measurement of trauma or toxic stress is adverse childhood events (ACES) including abuse/neglect, having a mentally ill or incarcerated parent, exposure to substances, and domestic violence/substantial parental conflict. However, there are other events that are also potentially traumatizing, and not all of the above will be traumatizing for children.
Research shows that the reliable presence of a positive, attuned, and protective caregiver is a protective factor for children who experience trauma. Other factors that influence an individual response to trauma include the emotional and physical intensity of the trauma, the duration and frequency of traumatic events, age and developmental level, prior experiences, and other relationships/support networks. Trauma causes an acute physiological stress response in the body and individuals usually react with one of the 4 F's: fight, flight, freeze, or fawn.
When children experience persistent or intense trauma, such as in cases of abuse/neglect, they adapt to this experience and it can impact their development and beliefs about themselves, their caregivers, and the world. Children who have experienced trauma may have heightened reactions in the classroom to seemingly minor events. They may not see the world and caregivers as safe or believe themselves to be capable and loveable. Young children, who have fewer experiences with the world, may be at special risk for generalizing a traumatic experience into other experiences and relationships, but are also developmentally receptive to new learning and interventions. Trauma can impact physical, cognitive, communication, and social-emotional development in an immediate and enduring way.
It is important to remember that in many cases these adaptations helped to protect the child from trauma. For example, hypervigilance or an awareness of all that is happening around you is protective in situations that may be dangerous, even though it can make it more difficult to concentrate and follow directions. Children who have learned that caregivers are sometimes hurtful or neglectful may find it difficult to trust the adults around them and want to exert more control/power which can result in classroom power struggles. And children who are trying to process and understand traumatic experiences may reenact them in the classroom - even when not appropriate for that setting.
In any case where trauma is suspected or known, caregivers need to help provide experiences of felt safety. You may experience your classroom as safe, but that does not mean that child is perceiving it the same way. For example, a child with food insecurity may experience boundaries around food as dangerous to their well-being even when that is not the teacher's intent. A child who has experienced neglect may experience a time-out on their own as a reexperience of trauma and need an opportunity for reconnection or time-in with a teacher as an alternative. Children who do not know what to expect from adults, peers, or routines may act out during transitions or try to control the scenario in order to experience a sense of control.
Consider:
Do I believe that every child has promise and potential?
Do I need to know the child's traumatic experiences in order to support them? What can I do when I don't have those details?
How do I work with families and other professionals to better understand children's responses in the classroom?
What are the invisible beliefs that the children in my classroom carry around about themselves, their caregivers, or the world? Do they believe in themselves as safe, capable, and lovable? How do I know?
How can I build an experience of felt safety in my classroom? What seems to trigger the children in my classroom? What can children do when they don't feel safe? How do I teach this?
How can I collect more information about children who are struggling to build their skills and help them to build more adaptive behaviors? What do they need to believe and understand to practice that skill?
What are my own triggers? How can I build positive, attuned relationships with each and every child in my classroom?
Dig Deeper:
The Pyramid Model and Trauma-Informed Care: A Guide for Early Childhood
InBrief: The Science of Neglect (video from Harvard's Center on the Developing Child)
In Brief: Early Childhood Mental Health (video from Harvard's Center on the Developing Child)
