Putting Your Trauma Lens On

Pediatric Annals
|July 16, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Childhood trauma impacts brain and body development. Pediatric providers can identify at-risk children using a trauma lens and support resilience through attachment and stress response interventions.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Medicine
  • Child Psychology
  • Trauma Studies

Background:

  • Childhood trauma has lasting effects on brain and body development.
  • Pediatric providers can utilize a
  • trauma lens
  • to identify and support at-risk children and families.
  • Resilience is a dynamic process that can be learned and enhanced.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To equip pediatric providers with tools to recognize symptoms of traumatic stress in children.
  • To outline strategies for fostering resilience in children affected by trauma.
  • To provide a framework for supporting families in the recovery process.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing a
  • trauma lens
  • focusing on attachment, resilience, and stress response.
  • Recognizing common symptoms of traumatic stress, such as the FRAYED acronym (Fits, Frets, and Fear; Regulation disorders; Attachment problems; Yawning and Yelling; Educational and developmental delays; Defeat and Dissociation).
  • Implementing the THREADS framework (Thinking & learning brain; cognitive development; Hope; Regulation; Efficacy; Attachment; Development; Social context) to promote resilience.

Main Results:

  • Familiarity with symptoms aids in quick identification of impacted children.
  • Focusing on attachment and resilience skills (THREADS) can be woven together to promote recovery.
  • The
  • 3 R's
  • (Reassuring, Restoring routines, Regulating) provide a roadmap for recovery.

Conclusions:

  • Pediatric providers are well-positioned to identify and support children experiencing trauma.
  • Enhancing resilience through attachment and stress-response interventions is crucial for recovery.
  • Empathy and positive regard are key in guiding families toward rebuilding resilience skills.