By Stacey Steinberg

Children may be processing the disruptions in their lives right now in ways the adults around them do not expect: acting out, regressing, retreating or even seeming surprisingly content. Parents need to know that all of this is normal, experts say, and there are some things we can do to help.

“Our natural response to scary things is biologically to release stress hormones,” said Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, a pediatrician and surgeon general of the state of California, and the author of “The Deepest Well: Healing the Long-Term Effects of Childhood Adversity.” The release of stress hormones activates our fight or flight response. Our bodies, in responding with the release of stress hormones, are doing exactly what they should be doing.

But in some cases, exposure to stressful events — which right now might include the absence of routines, a parent’s job loss and economic hardship, or the serious illness or death of someone a child cares about — can leave children feeling traumatized.

Share This Post!

How a History of Trauma is Affecting the Children of Gaza

By Rhitu Chatterjee, NPR Researchers say the cumulative trauma of chronic ethnic-political violence has a profound and lasting impact on children's mental health and development, affecting their functioning and outlook on [...]

Helping Children Cope After a Traumatic Event

Provided by the Child Mind Institute In the wake of a traumatic event, your comfort, support and reassurance can make children feel safe, help them manage their fears, guide them through [...]

Change A Child’s Life

Please join us today and shine a light on the invisible wounds of childhood trauma so that abused children receive the treatment they deserve.