Childhood Trauma and COVID-19: Part Two
In the second part of our blog series exploring childhood trauma and the current Covid-19 pandemic. We are going to look at some of the effects of children experiencing trauma on their learning, development and well-being. Some of which can be long-lasting to an individual.
The first few years of a child’s life are unique and special. Understandably trauma experienced in the first 6 years (early years) will have a variety of different effects than that which is experienced by an older child. We know that our brain stores information and experiences both consciously and unconsciously; this will then affect the way that we respond to a situation in order to protect ourselves.
I am currently reading the book ‘The boy who was raised as a dog’ by Perry and Szalavitz (2017) and this notion of association and not being able to regulate or control emotions; is relatable to the story of Sandy; this story sticks predominately in my mind as I think of basing our understandings on experiences, storing them up consciously and unconsciously.
Sandy a little girl who watched the brutal death of her mother at the hand of someone else. The associations the child made, the doorbell that let the killer in, the once safe kitchen knife that slit the child’s throat three times and her mothers throat and the milk she tried to drink for comfort as it spilled from her throat and she tried to give her dead mother. Perry speaks about how no one could understand the outburst of behaviour around milk, the doorbell or kitchen knives; but off course we can look at it knowing her experience and seemingly see the association because we know it. She has associated these 3 things with fear and overwhelming emotion, that she is unable to self-regulate; resulting in uncontrollable outbursts and behaviour.
Sandy was off an age where she was able to communicate to the psychiatrist of what she had seen although young and her experience of that night. However, some children will not have this verbal recall or memory; rather just a fear that is stored in our brain; an association. I remember a child I worked with years ago, we will call him Matthew. Matthew was adopted at the age of 6 months and we as early years practitioners did not know about his early live other then he was adopted; but what we did know was noise was a massive trigger for this boy. When ever there was loud noises as a young baby he would scream and cry and as he turned two, he was prone to outbursts’ and incredibly jumpy and full of fear with loud noises; even those which were familiar. He would often say “noise!” “noise!” as he heard unfamiliar noises the older, he got, he may hide under a table or run to a familiar adult. The point is Matthew didn’t know where that trauma or fear came from, but it was stored inside him and an involuntary response. We suspected that this was the result of a traumatic experience, but we cannot ascertain the exact experience he had within his first few months.
Additionally, we know that the impact of trauma can have a significant impact on children’s brain development. Perry and Szalavitiz (2017) discuss how the most rapid growth of brain development is in the womb and up to the age of 4 where the brain is the most explosive in making new connections and growing. By 4 years old a child has a brain 90% of an adult’s brain, however, this is also when they are the most vulnerable to trauma and neglect. We know that extreme stress or trauma can affect brain development, as children need a nurturing environment to thrive and develop (CDC 2020).
Also, when we experience trauma, we have an alleviated stress level which means that our body produces more cortisol and adrenaline. This is because our bodies are in a continuous state of preparation for fight or flight from situations. This increased rate of cortisol in our blood stream does not only impact on circulation, blood pressure and us in other physical ways; but it also affects the structure of the brain and how it is developed in early childhood. (Perry and Szalavitz 2017 and Goldsmith Turow 2017).
We know that younger children will respond with both physical and psychological responses to traumatic events; as of yet young children have not developed the ability to communicate effectively or regulate their emotions. Often resulting in outbursts and behaviour that is not appropriate or understandable.
Children aged 0-2 exposed to trauma may
Demonstrate poor verbal skills
Exhibit memory problems
Scream or cry excessively
Have poor appetite, low weight, or digestive problems.
Children aged 3-6 exposed to trauma may
Have difficulties focusing or learning in school
Develop learning disabilities
Show poor skill development
Act out in social situations
Imitate the abusive/traumatic event
Be verbally abusive
Be unable to trust others or make friends
Believe they are to blame for the traumatic event
Lack self-confidence
Experience stomach aches or headaches
(The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, 2019)
References:
Goldsmith Turow, R. (2017) mindfulness skills for trauma and ptsd: practices for recovery and resilience. London: W.W. Norton & Company Ltd.
Perry, B.D. and Szalavitz, M. (2017) The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog: And other Stories from a Child Psychiatrist’s Notebook. What Traumatized Children Can Teach Us About Loss, Love and Healing. New York: Basic Books.
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, (2017) Early Childhood Trauma [online] https://www.nctsn.org/what-is-child-trauma/trauma-types/early-childhood-trauma [accessed 7.08.2020]
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2020) Early Brain Development and Health, [online] https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/early-brain-development.html [accessed 7.8.2020]