It's common to think that offering just comforting words and encouraging traumatized youngsters to forget their ordeals is protecting them, but that's "not doing them any favors," said University of Pennsylvania psychologist Edna Foa, the lead author. She said that approach can be harmful because it lets symptoms fester.
Foa developed a two-part treatment known as prolonged exposure therapy and has studied its use in treating post-traumatic stress disorder. It involves having patients repeatedly tell their awful stories, and then visit safe places that remind them of the trauma, or take part in safe activities they'd avoided because of painful reminders.
"Many are actually relieved that somebody wants to hear their story," Foa said.
The Veterans Affairs health system uses the treatment for vets with PTSD.
Foa's previous research has shown this approach works for adult rape victims, and it is used in some rape crisis centers.
Making rape victims relive trauma through exposure therapy works, study says
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