Childhood Trauma: 10 Tips for Screening and More

How do you display screen for childhood trauma? One physician on the 2022 Annual Psychiatric Times™ World CME Conference in San Diego, one physician shared his most useful tips.

CONFERENCE REPORTER

In his presentation, “How to Assess/Diagnose Childhood Trauma,” on the 2022 Annual Psychiatric Times™ World CME Conference in San Diego, Mark B. Hamner, MD identified that the Department of Health and Human Services knowledge on youngster abuse underestimates traumatic publicity, given they solely tackle abuse and never different traumas. “And abuse is often not reported,” he added.

What Children Are at Risk?

Children can expertise quite a few traumatic experiences past bodily, sexual, or psychological abuse and neglect, stated Hamner, together with: pure disasters or terrorism; household or neighborhood violence; the sudden or violent lack of a beloved one; substance use dysfunction both personally or inside their household; refugee and battle experiences, together with torture; severe accidents or life-threatening sickness; army household associated stressors, like deployment or parental loss, can all play an element within the youngster’s traumatic historical past.

Additionally, within the National Comorbidity Survey Replication Adolescent complement, which checked out a nationwide survey of adolescents aged 13 to 17, the lifetime prevalence of DSM-IV PTSD was 4.7% increased in ladies.

Children and adolescents who establish as a part of the LGBTQ+ neighborhood expertise trauma at distinctive, increased charges. Common traumas embody bullying, harassment, traumatic loss, intimate companion violence, bodily and sexual abuse, stigma, and extra.

Somatization

“Somatization is a significant posttraumatic stress symptom,” stated Hamner. “Some have argued this should be included in diagnostic criteria.”

An exemplifying research seemed on the relationship between PTSD signs and somatization, and between intelligence and somatization in youngster sexual abuse victims to find out whether or not the kind of abuse had an impact on the connection between PTSD signs and somatization.1

The research concluded that somatization in youngsters who had been sexually abused was influenced by the severity of PTSD signs and intelligence, and the impact of the PTSD signs on somatization was moderated by sort of abuse.

How to Screen This Population

When screening youngsters and adolescents for trauma, Hamner shared a number of tips that may assist. 1. Make time in remedy periods to finish screening measures with relations.

2. Allow the guardian and youngster to decide on the language through which the display screen is accomplished.

3. Use developmentally applicable methods, like a chalk or dry erase board.

4. Let them determine the order through which they full measures when potential.

5. Use visible aids.

6. If youngster is resistant, learn aloud to them.

7. Offer to finish over 1 to three periods.

8. Praise all youngsters and oldsters for “hard work.”

9. Check endorsement of crucial gadgets like hurting oneself and develop security plan.

10. Take time to clarify what is going to occur subsequent and make clear that you’ll readminister measures on an ongoing foundation.

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network is a vital useful resource, Hamner additionally famous. Specifically, he talked about their Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen (CATS) instrument.2 It is downloadable and temporary, taking solely 5 to 10 minutes to finish. This may very well be a useful instrument within the screening arsenal, he stated.

Concluding Thoughts

“There are the unique developmental considerations in this age range,” concluded Hamner. “It’s a vastly under researched area, not only in terms of epidemiology but also in terms of treatments.”

References

1. Bae SM, Kang JM, Chang HY, et al. PTSD correlates with somatization in sexually abused children: type of abuse moderates the effect of PTSD on somatization. PLoS One. 2018;13(6):e0199138.

2. Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen. International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. Accessed August 12, 2022. https://istss.org/clinical-resources/child-trauma-assessments/child-and-adolescent-trauma-screen-(cats)

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