Trauma and Pediatric Primary Care

Children with traumatic stress are more likely to seek and receive care from pediatricians than mental health specialists. Therefore, it is vital that pediatricians are equipped with the knowledge and tools to identify and support these children using trauma-informed approaches to care. In this article, we describe approaches to trauma screening, highlighting the Care Process Model for Pediatric Traumatic Stress as a flexible, evidence-based example of a comprehensive approach to screening and responding to trauma in pediatric primary care. Child and adolescent psychiatrists can play a critical role in supporting pediatricians caring for children with traumatic stress.