Following a trauma, experts recommend a ‘wait-and-see’ approach for up to four weeks. During this time keep an eye on your child to see how they are doing.
Initial reactions often go away on their own in time. But they can take up to six months to fully resolve. The key thing is that your child is showing signs of improvement.
If your child is still struggling and shows no signs of improving four weeks after the trauma, speak to your GP. If their distress is overwhelming it may be a good idea to seek help sooner.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends that children with post-traumatic stress disorder—PTSD—receive a special type of talking therapy called trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (TF-CBT). Another trauma-focused treatment also recommended by NICE is known as Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR).
If your child seems no better after 4-6 weeks, or if they are getting worse, your first port of call is your GP.
You can also seek support privately if you can afford it or have insurance that will cover payment. Ask your GP for a list of therapists who specialise in CBT or EMDR, and work with children.
It can help to write a summary of your child’s problems to take to your appointment. It can be hard to know where to start with this. To help, in the resources section you can find a PTSD symptom scale that you might like to fill in to show your GP. This scale is called the Child PTSD Symptom Scale and is suitable for children aged 8+ years old.
Here are some tips for talking to your GP:
For more advice, see our video below.
As the name suggests, this is a type of therapy—specifically designed to tackle the after-effects of trauma.
Cognitive behavioural therapy, usually called CBT, is based on the idea that our thoughts and beliefs affect our feelings, which, in turn, affect our behaviour.
TF-CBT involves working with a trained healthcare professional, usually over eight or more sessions, including:
Keep in mind that TF-CBT can be hard at times for your child, but the therapist will know how to help them to manage their distress.
You can research other support available (e.g., local services, counselling organisations, or support from the school). Here is useful resource to find local services for youths
You could also reach out to other parents who may have experienced something similar (e.g., their child also had a scary experience or attended the Emergency Department).
The chances are they will. Research shows that most children respond well to talking therapies such as trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy.
Books
Website Link
Download