How to Help a Child Accident Victim Cope With Trauma
Every parent is extra vigilant about their children’s safety. Unfortunately, accidents involving children are more common than we would like to believe. According to WHO, road accidents are the top fatality-causing incidents for children and adults between 5 and 29 years of age globally.
A recent statistic shows that each year, around 254,000 children get injured in accidents. Childhood trauma, especially the one stemming from serious accidents, can be profound. It can have a grave impact on the psychological development of the child victim.
Understanding and addressing the unique needs of the child victim is crucial for healing. In this article, we will discuss how exactly we can do that.
Understanding the Impact of Childhood Trauma
Studies have shown that around 43% of children undergo at least one traumatic event, like accidents, in their lifetime. Of these, up to 15% of girls and 6% of boys develop PTSD. Children often experience emotional and physical reactions to the trauma. With their sense of security and safety shattered, the children tend to exhibit regressive behavior and may become clingy or withdrawn.
According to SAMHSA, signs of childhood trauma vary by age group. The report states that preschool children might develop separation anxiety, cry or scream frequently, eat poorly, and lose weight. On the other hand, elementary school children may develop anxiety or fear, feel guilt or shame, have a lack of concentration, and lose sleep.
Lastly, middle and high school children may feel depressed, develop self-harm tendencies, fall prey to substance abuse, or become sexually active. These reactions to traumatic events like road accidents can affect the quality of life and social cognition.
What Should Be Done Immediately After the Accident?
The presence of family support and reassurance provides a sense of stability and security amidst chaos. After traumatic events, children need more support and comfort than ever. Ensure their physical well-being by seeking medical attention and therapy to deal with the trauma symptoms in the days to follow.
In the aftermath of an accident, adults are often occupied with legalities and other tasks like claiming insurance. This can lead to negligence when it comes to helping child victims cope. For example, the Marvel stuntman Taraja Ramsess, who lost his life in an Atlanta car crash, is survived by three children. Imagine the pain and void they are left with for an entire lifetime.
In such cases, it’s best to focus on survivors who have their life ahead of them while still remembering the deceased. The best scenario in this case is to hire professionals like law firms in Atlanta to take care of legalities and insurance claims. This will help you focus solely on providing medical and emotional support to the child victim and reduce the impact of trauma.
Provide Trauma-Informed Care to Child Victims
Traumatic incidents are unpredictable and can catch you off guard, especially when you live in a danger-prone area. For example, Atlanta, the capital of Georgia, is considered the top accident-prone city. It comes as no surprise that a report suggests that around 4% of men and 8% of women in Georgia are suspected to experience PTSD at some point in their life.
The Atlanta Personal Law Injury Firm notes that some individuals tend to dismiss PTSD symptoms as a reaction to injuries, leading to untreated PTSD. And children are more prone to developing the highest levels of PTSD symptoms. However, if the parents are less upset by the trauma and provide support, they can manage these symptoms well.
It’s crucial to provide trauma-informed care to help children recover from the incident’s aftermath. The best course of action is to opt for trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy or TF-CBT. TF-CBT therapy helps both children and their parents recover. It involves providing a safe space for children to express their feelings through talking, playing, or art.
This particular therapy also supports parents so that they can help their child heal. They get coaching on encouraging healing through active listening, validation, and nurturing coping skills. Studies have shown that TF-CBT is highly effective in treating post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) in children with a sustained effect up to 12 months.
The best part about TF-CBT is that its effects are amplified in the case of children with higher levels of PTSS, like depression and anxiety, before starting the treatment. This makes it ideal for the survivors of road accidents.
Acknowledge and Deal With Caregiver Burnout
According to a report, 1 in 5 Americans, or around 53 million U.S. citizens, provide care for a loved one, including children. Data from another report reveals that up to 70% of caregivers have reported having clinical symptoms of depression, and 23% say that it has affected their physical health.
Child victims must have solid family support to recover and heal faster. However, caring for a traumatized child can be emotionally draining for caregivers like parents or relatives. Yes, caregiver burnout or fatigue is real, and it can dramatically hinder the level of care.
As a parent of a child victim, it’s possible to be so focused on helping your child recover that you are likely to experience adverse effects of caregiving on your well-being. Symptoms include physical fatigue, anxiety, irregular sleeping patterns, sudden weight changes, substance use, and more.
Remember that you cannot provide essential support to your kid if you are not feeling well. Therefore, it’s necessary to acknowledge the challenge and seek support when needed. Proactive measures like getting the medical help you need, joining support groups with other child trauma victim parents, and seeking therapy can provide the required guidance.
Understanding, patience, and unwavering support are three pillars of recovery to help a child cope with trauma. A parent must understand the impact of the trauma, create a safe environment, delegate legalities to focus entirely on the child, and seek appropriate interventions. This will help the victim to process the whole experience, cope with PTSD, and rebuild their life.
