Trauma can overwhelm a child’s ability to cope

I attended a session while at a conference in New Orleans this week, on trauma, children and quality experiences to reduce the impact of adverse experiences. Being an early childhood conference, it is not surprising that high-quality preschool and other nurturing early care experiences were cited as key to remediating the trauma. Trauma comes in many forms, from chaos and loss to extensive and persistent physical or emotional abuse at the hands of a caregiver. Traumatic events overwhelm a child’s ability to cope and express feelings of fear and powerlessness. Many of the “out-of-control” behaviors we see in kindergarten can be attributed to trauma experienced earlier in a child’s life.

Why does trauma impact a child so pervasively? It begins prenatally, when a baby’s brain is developing. The child will be born with all the neurons he/she will ever have. Brain growth in the first years of life is in the myelination and neural connections. That just means that connecting brain cells together is the work of the developing infant brain. The connections are completely dependent on interactions with caregivers and the environment. These connections will allow for skill development and memory formation, including cognitive, emotional and physical memory. When a child’s brain is consumed in survival mode due to repeated trauma, their neurons are easily excitable, and the thinking brain is smaller. Also, the child begins to self-protect by shutting down the excitable neurons and pulling away from their environment and caregivers. This can lead to attachment problems, lack of empathy, aggression and impulsiveness. The child reacts with an emotional response to challenges. They will draw incorrect conclusions about how and why things happen. Their ability to accurately interpret is compromised.

Trauma can elicit intense fear, anger, shame and helplessness, overwhelming the child. Overpowering emotions delay the development of self-regulation. It is difficult for a child to express the emotions, particularly if they have had little opportunity to learn to identify, address and express the feelings appropriately.

Familiar, positive people, including teachers, neighbors and relatives, play such an important role in supporting children who have been exposed to trauma. It is critical to minimize the disruptions in a young child’s life, while maintaining positive attachments. Children must feel safe in order to take risks — healthy risks that will help them develop physically, emotionally, and finally cognitively. Safety means consistent, predictable schedules with a variety of appropriate opportunities. It might be important for a child to come into a classroom and slowly acclimate to the environment, after experiencing a traumatic night at home. Preschools can be the equalizer, the refuge for children who otherwise would go through life trying to cope with adult issues with very few tools. Every Child Promise supports early childhood programs in helping children acquire the tools to deal with trauma and prepare for school and life.

Dana Carroll is Springfield's child advocate. You can email her at dcarroll@commpartnership.org.