Domestic Violence & PTSD in Kids

The effects of domestic violence on children are life-changing. In the moment, a parent or caregiver may underestimate the impact of violence between two caregivers because they” never hurt the children.” Unfortunately, children are almost always impacted in some way by violence in the home. In fact, this type of trauma often leads to PTSD in kids who have no idea how to manage it.

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 3-15% of girls and 1-6% of boys develop PTSD after experiencing trauma. Often, these children often develop behavioral issues that parents don't associate with the trauma. This leaves them without the essential tools needed for treating PTSD.

In this article, we discuss the effects of domestic violence, how it leads to PTSD in kids, and our trauma therapists’ recommendations for treating PTSD in kids. Continue reading to learn how to help your child.

What is PTSD in Kids?

Children tend to recover quickly from stressful events, but severely traumatic events can cause long-term harm. This may result in the development of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. Typically PTSD results when a person experiences physical or mental trauma. These individuals have an intense response to the trauma, which prevents them from fully recovering from it.

Those with PTSD suffer from mentally repeating the experience in memories, nightmares, or other thoughts. These thoughts can be triggered by various events, objects, or situations.

Symptoms of Children with PTSD

Children suffering from PTSD display different symptoms. The variety of symptoms depends on the type of trauma and the child's individual reaction to it. Some of the most common symptoms are nightmares, changes in mood or behavior, anxiety, and other symptoms.

Nightmares or Sleep Problems

Children with PTSD commonly experience nightmares or difficulty sleeping. This is because they have intrusive thoughts or memories of the traumatic event. In their dreams, they may relive the trauma. In some cases, just the fear or stress from the event can cause other bad dreams.

Mood and Behavioral Changes

The intense emotional response to trauma can also result in mood and behavioral changes. If they come across a situation or object that reminds them of their trauma, they can experience an abrupt and intense emotional response.

In some cases, children may lack positive emotions or experience increased feelings of anger. They may also start to avoid certain places or people that are associated with the trauma. Younger children often reenact the traumatic event in their play such as in drawing or with toys.

Anxiety

Fear is normal in children, but children with PTSD may develop anxiety. These children often have trouble paying attention in class or at home. They might be on a constant lookout for danger and can become easily startled.

Other Symptoms

No two people express their stress in the same way. Any significant changes to your child's behavior following trauma could be a symptom of that trauma. It's worth discussing any symptoms with one of our specialists before pursuing treatment.

Effects of Domestic Violence and PTSD

PTSD in children can develop in response to domestic violence. This can happen whether they are physically or verbally abused, but it can also happen if they witness the physical or verbal abuse of another.

Abused Children

In a 2016 study, abused children showed a decreased ability to regulate their emotions. This means that when they experience strong emotions, they aren't able to manage them. They also weren't able to correctly identify emotions based on facial expressions. This means that children with PTSD have difficulty determining between threatening and non-threatening situations.

Children Who Witness Abuse

Children that witness abuse can have different reactions to it. In some cases, the child might make an effort to protect the parent that is receiving the abuse. Some do this by misbehaving to distract the abuser or by stepping in to stop the abuse. In other situations, a child might learn to mimic the behavior of the abuser and become violent and disrespectful.

Treating PTSD in Kids

You can’t change what happened in the past. But you can help your child find healing so they can move forward in their life with confidence and a healthy understanding of the world around them.

The top evidence-based therapy for children exposed to abuse is Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT). This behavioral therapy has several components: psychoeducation, skill-building, and creating a trauma narrative.

At our Columbia, MO-based counseling practice, we have a therapist who specializes in TF-CBT. We’ve seen how life-changing trauma therapy can be for children.

Psychoeducation

Psychoeducation involves teaching both the parent and child about trauma responses or symptoms of PTSD. It also involves making sure both understand these symptoms are a normal response to the trauma they experienced.

This information helps the child feel validated and it helps the parent understand any negative behavior and triggers for that behavior. The parent can then help the child manage their triggers and gain control of their emotions in response to them.

Skill-Building

The next part of therapy is learning how to deal with triggers and unwelcome memories. For the parent, this process involves learning how to work with their child when they start behaving a certain way. These tools help both the child and parent feel as though they can manage the disorder.

Trauma Narrative

After both parties have an understanding of the disorder and tools to manage it, the next part of treating PTSD in kids is putting together a “trauma narrative.” This allows the child to talk about what happened and process the thoughts and feelings that come with it.

The aim is to prevent children from avoiding the problem and believe that is how they should deal with any future problems. After the child has managed their emotions about the situation, they can move on from the experience without ignoring all the negative thoughts associated with it.

The parent is able to hear (or, in some cases, see, through drawings) the trauma narrative. This ensures the caregiver is aware of how the child feels about the experience and allows them to communicate about it. It also helps the child learn to help themselves and to feel empowered.

Trauma Therapy to Help Children Overcome PTSD

Domestic violence can have long-lasting effects, including PTSD in kids. While you can't change the experience, you can learn about it and help them manage its effects. Counseling for children of domestic violence can help. By being open to the process of treating PTSD in kids, you can empower them to learn how to manage their thoughts and feelings relating to the trauma. Helping them help themselves with a PTSD therapist is the best form of support in these cases. To get your child started with trauma therapy for kids in Columbia, MO today, contact us.

Other Therapy Services in Columbia, MO

Our team of skilled therapists specializes in providing trauma therapy and PTSD treatment to children and teens as well as survivors of sexual assault. Additionally, they work with individuals in anxiety treatment, counseling for depression, grief counseling, and more. Our team is committed to standing by your side through the toughest of storms and helping you celebrate your successes.