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!
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and Cancer
By American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a type of anxiety disorder. Some people develop PTSD after experiencing a frightening or life-threatening situation. PTSD is most [...]
Childhood Trauma Impacts Muscle Function in Later Life
By Morgan Sherburne – University of Michigan Adverse childhood experiences can detrimentally affect muscle function in older adults by impairing mitochondrial activity necessary for energy production. The study analyzed muscle biopsies from [...]
The True Link Between Early Trauma and Adult Mental Health
By David Rettew M.D., ABCs of Child Psychiatry The last decade of the 1990s was often labeled the “Decade of the Brain,” as many mental health clinicians and researchers emphasized biological [...]
What’s the Best Treatment for PTSD in Children?
By Joan Kaufman, PhD Joan Kaufman, PhD, of the Department of Psychiatry at Yale University, discusses the different stages of trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy, or TF-CBT, the best evidence-based intervention for children who [...]
Expert Consensus Regarding Indicators of a Traumatic Reaction in Autistic Youth: A Delphi Survey
By Connor M Kerns, Diana L Robins, Paul T Shattuck, Craig J Newschaffer, & Steven J Berkowitz It has been suggested that the sequelae of trauma are under-recognized in youth on the autism spectrum. [...]
Helping Children and Adolescents Cope with Traumatic Events
By Southern California Sunrise Recovery Center Children and adolescents are exposed to a number of different traumatic events that can spark a lot of emotions and physical reactions. The effects of [...]