By Starr Commonwealth
With grief, sadness is obvious. With trauma, the symptoms can go largely unrecognized because it shows up looking like other problems: frustration; acting out; difficulty concentrating, following directions, or working in a group. Often students are misdiagnosed with anxiety, behavior disorders, or attention disorders rather than understood to have trauma that’s driving those symptoms and reactions.
For children who have experienced trauma, learning can be a big struggle. But once trauma is identified as the root of the behavior, we can adapt our approach to help kids cope when they’re at school. Starr Commonwealth Chief Clinical Officer Dr. Caelan Soma offers these tips for understanding kids who have been through trauma plus strategies for helping them.
1. Kids who have experienced trauma aren’t trying to push your buttons.
If a child is having trouble with transitions or turning in a folder at the beginning of the day, remember that children may be distracted because of a situation at home that is causing them to worry. Instead of reprimanding children for being late or forgetting homework, be affirming and accommodating by establishing a visual cue or verbal reminder to help that child. “Switch your mind-set and remember the kid who has experienced trauma is not trying to push your buttons,” says Soma.
10 Things About Childhood Trauma Every Teacher Needs to Know
Many Refugees Dealing with Trauma Face Obstacles to Mental Health Care
By Erica Zurek and Alander Rocha Refugees are arriving in the U.S. in greater numbers this year after resettlement counts reached a 40-year low under President Donald Trump. These new arrivals, like [...]
The Dangerous Impact of Racial Trauma on the Black Community
By Maia Niguel Hoskin Psychologists use the term trauma to describe an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, rape, or natural disaster. Racial trauma, or race-based traumatic stress, [...]
California Surgeon General on Covid: ‘Greatest collective trauma’ of a generation
By Maanvi Singh When Dr. Nadine Burke Harris was first appointed California surgeon general, she set out to address the toxic stress and trauma plaguing the state’s most vulnerable residents. Then [...]
States Address ACEs and Trauma and Build Resilience
By Anna Heard Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic events that can affect a person’s health, well-being and success into adulthood. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these dynamics by disrupting [...]
Adult ADHD and Childhood Trauma: Is there a link?
By Keri Wiginton If you’re an adult with ADHD, you’re among millions of other grownups who also live with it. Scientists know your genes play a major role in your chances [...]
Uvalde Shooter exhibited ‘almost every warning sign’ expert says
By Nadine El-Bawab The Texas House of Representatives committee report on the Robb Elementary School shooting revealed the accused school shooter exhibited many warning signs in the years, months and days leading [...]