By Caroline Miller
When kids have behavior and attention issues in school, the first explanation that comes to mind is often ADHD. But exposure to trauma can also cause symptoms that look like ADHD. And trauma is often overlooked when kids are misdiagnosed with ADHD.
Children with ADHD can be fidgety (always getting out of their seats), distracted (not paying attention to the teacher), and disruptive in class. Kids who have had a traumatic experience – or repeated exposure to violence or abuse – do some of the same things. They are unusually sensitive to signs of danger or threat, which can cause them to be jumpy and unable to settle down. They may see people as out to get them, so are prone to lashing out. They may also have intrusive thoughts about traumatic events they’ve experienced, and that can make kids look spacey and distracted.
Share This Post!
Checklist: Creating Safe Spaces for Youth
By Mental Health America Now more than ever, young people need an environment where they feel seen, heard, and valued. [...] Creating connection starts with you, so allow youth to get [...]
What is Childhood Trauma: Trauma Types
By The National Child Traumatic Stress Network When a child feels intensely threatened by an event he or she is involved in or witnesses, we call that event a trauma. There [...]
Racial Trauma
By Mental Health America Racial trauma, or race-based traumatic stress (RBTS), refers to the mental and emotional injury caused by encounters with racial bias and ethnic discrimination, racism, and hate crimes. Any [...]
For Children With a Disability, a Higher Risk of Trauma
By Steven Ross Johnson, US News Research released Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a larger share of children with disabilities between 5 and 17 years of age [...]
Stress & Trauma Toolkit for Treating LGBTQ in a Changing Political and Social Environment
By American Psychiatric Association Violence against the LGBTQ community has increased over recent years. In 2016, the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando shocked the nation—with a single gunman killing 49 people and [...]
How Organizations Can Support LGBTQ Youth Facing Trauma
By Center on Child Wellbeing & Trauma As an organization that supports children who have experienced trauma, it’s important to remember that every child’s experience is different. Those in the LGBTQ community need [...]