Q: What are the three types of trauma?

The three types of trauma are: <ul role="presentation"> <li>Acute trauma occurs due to a single incident in life, like an accident or being a victim of a natural disaster or accident.</li><li>Chronic trauma occurs as a result of repeated and extended exposure to highly stressful events. Examples include things like childhood abuse, bullying, domestic violence, and war. Chronic trauma can comprise of many instances of acute traumas happening back to back.</li><li>Complex trauma occurs due to exposure to multiple traumatic events often of an interpersonal or invasive nature. It includes all forms of abuse, adverse childhood experiences, neglect, war, community violence, cultural dislocation, and sex trafficking and exploitation.</li> </ul>

Question 1

What is trauma for a child?

Accepted Answer

Child trauma is typically caused by an emotionally distressing and painful event, sometimes resulting in long-term physical and psychological effects. For a child, traumatic experiences can be scary, violent, or dangerous events that threaten to (or do) cause them or a loved one physical and mental harm or death.

Events like car accidents, domestic violence, and sexual abuse have the potential to cause lasting trauma that may require therapy and medication to correct. A child may experience both emotional and bodily symptoms in response to trauma, including vomiting, loss of bladder control, and feelings of fear and defenselessness.

Traumatic events may cause emotional and physical reactions that can remain long after the event has passed, and can contribute to the development of mental disorders like anxiety, PTSD, and depression.

Not all distressing events cause trauma, however, and some children are less or more affected by certain events than others.

Parent quiz: Child mental health checklist

This 3-minute, online quiz can be used if you think your child is having emotional, attentional, or behavioral difficulties.

Question 2

How common is childhood trauma?

Accepted Answer

Childhood trauma is more common than many would imagine. According to SAMHSA's National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative survey, more than two-thirds of children reported one or more traumatic events by age 16.

The survey further revealed that every year, the number of young adults needing medical care for physical assault-related injuries would fill each seat in nine stadiums.

Even more alarming, about one-third of youths ages 12 to 17 have experienced two or more childhood traumas that may impact their mental and physical health as adults. Child trauma survivors may experience long-term health issues, increased involvement with juvenile justice and child welfare systems, and learning problems low grades, suspensions, etc.

Parent quiz: Child mental health checklist

This 3-minute, online quiz can be used if you think your child is having emotional, attentional, or behavioral difficulties.

Question 3

What are the three types of trauma?

Accepted Answer

The three types of trauma are:

Acute trauma occurs due to a single incident in life, like an accident or being a victim of a natural disaster or accident.
Chronic trauma occurs as a result of repeated and extended exposure to highly stressful events. Examples include things like childhood abuse, bullying, domestic violence, and war. Chronic trauma can comprise of many instances of acute traumas happening back to back.
Complex trauma occurs due to exposure to multiple traumatic events often of an interpersonal or invasive nature. It includes all forms of abuse, adverse childhood experiences, neglect, war, community violence, cultural dislocation, and sex trafficking and exploitation.

Question 4

What are the signs of trauma in a child?

Accepted Answer

Signs of trauma in a child include aggressiveness, sexualized behavior, physical symptoms, general fearfulness, anxiousness, irritability, and sadness.

A child may also daydream, detach, lose recent development achievements, have trouble sleeping, or avoid things. He or she may react to reminders, become controlling or over-permissive, display physical symptoms like headaches, and so on.

Knowing how to identify these signs of trauma is crucial as it allows parents and caregivers to help their kids cope with the trauma healthily. Signs of unhealthy coping may also be indicative that a visit with a professional might be required.

Parent quiz: Child mental health checklist

This 3-minute, online quiz can be used if you think your child is having emotional, attentional, or behavioral difficulties.

What is trauma for a child?

Parent quiz: Child mental health checklist

Related questions about trauma

Life is complicated. Finding a therapist shouldn’t be.

Newsletter signup

Get inspiration straight to your inbox.