By McKenna Saady, ParentsTogether, September 19, 2022
More than half of people experience a traumatic event at some point during their childhood — and more than a quarter of children will witness or experience trauma before the age of four. Between school shootings, COVID-19, and families being separated at the US-Mexico border, incidents of childhood trauma have pervaded the news in recent years.
What is childhood trauma?
Trauma is defined as the experience of an emotionally distressing event that results in lasting mental and/or physical effects. When trauma occurs, it can leave a lasting impact because our bodies are programmed to remember danger. When someone is exposed to a reminder of that danger, their body enters alarm mode which triggers the fight, flight, or freeze response.
This response is an adaptation to protect us from harm, but it may fire off in traumatized people even when there is no actual danger present. The fight, flight, or freeze response can cause people to become emotionally overwhelmed, act out in harmful ways, or withdraw and avoid other people and tasks.
According to Dr. Renee Boynton-Jarrett of the Boston University School of Medicine, childhood trauma can result in some of the following impacts:
- Toxic stress (a prolonged degree of stress compounded by inadequate coping skills);
- Shortened attention span;
- Trouble with school or daily routines;
- Difficulty mastering new skills;
- Difficulty forming relationships;
- Anxiety and/or depression.
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