Developmental Responses to Trauma

How do children respond to trauma?

No matter their age, traumatized children may: 

• seek or demand more attention, 
• show aggression, 
• seem withdrawn, 
• startle easily, 
• have sleep problems, 
• have separation anxiety or show fear of certain adults,  
• cry for reasons adults can’t figure out, 
• exhibit regressive behaviors (such as wetting the bed after being toilet trained), 
• show increased irritability, and  
• display sadness. 

In addition, certain symptoms of trauma can appear at different times during a child’s development.  

Birth to 2 Infants and toddlers may: 

• have digestive problems and low appetite and weight, 
• possess weaker verbal skills and more memory problems than older children, and 
• have exaggerated emotional responses (such as screaming or crying). 

Ages 3–6: As kids grow, there are often more noticeable cognitive, behavioral, and physiological reactions. Young children may: 

• have difficulty focusing in school, 
• have delays in cognitive development or demonstrate learning disabilities, 
• act out with anger or aggression in social situations or imitate traumatic experiences verbally or physically,  
• become anxious, fearful, or avoidant, 
• have repeated or intrusive thoughts, 
• develop feelings of self-blame, low self-confidence, and feelings of mistrust toward others, impacting their ability to establish friendships, 
• have stomachaches and/or headaches, and 
• enact elements of the trauma in play, drawing, or speaking. 

Sources
“Early Childhood Trauma.” The National Child Traumatic Stress Network. (2010). http://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdfs/nctsn_earlychildhoodtrauma_08-2010final.pdf