Little Known on How to Best Help Kids After Trauma

In wake of Newtown shooting, review finds more evidence needed on what to do when children can't cope

February 11, 2013 RSS Feed Print

"You do not want to do them harm, of course," Forman-Hoffman said.

"Most children exposed to a non-chronic trauma will do fine," Dowd said. But she and Forman-Hoffman both said it's important to step in when children are having problems weeks to months after the trauma. Often, kids will only start having obvious symptoms at that point.

You can start by talking with your child about the event and how they are feeling. If you think your child is struggling, Dowd said, talk to your pediatrician or other provider.

The review focused on children who'd lived through natural disasters or "man-made" traumas like community violence. So, it does not say anything about therapies for kids suffering chronic traumas like abuse or neglect, Forman-Hoffman noted.

More information

Find out more about childhood traumatic stress from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network.