Impact of Trauma on Child Development

Nearly one-quarter of people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with a mental illness. How did we reach such a point? Of course, there are many underlying reasons and root causes, but one of the biggest is childhood trauma. When someone too young to understand undergoes a traumatic experience, it impacts their development, and the effects can linger for decades.

This is not a license to blame everything on the past. But it most certainly is an invitation to learn more about what factors influence your life today. The more you understand, the better positioned you are to heal and thrive today.

What is Childhood Trauma?

Trauma is in the eye of the beholder. A child’s perception, however, is colored by their lack of cognitive development. In other words, most people understand that we can be traumatized by the loss of a loved one, abuse, an accident, or violent crime, and more. Children under the age of 5, however, are far more vulnerable to such extreme distress.

For context, more than three-quarters of children in that age range today have experienced more than one traumatic event. These are called adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). ACES are a risk factor for escalating rates of depression, suicidal ideation, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and more.

Impact of Trauma on Child Development

For starters, let’s clarify that a) each child is different, as are their circumstances, and b) below is a sampling of a very complex issue. That said, every child experiences stress, but in far too many instances, that stress occurs at a chronically high level. In cases like this, the sustained damage can dramatically alter early childhood development.

Especially left unaddressed, ACEs will interfere with basic body functions and development. This can include brain development, immune functioning, hormones, and more. Until they are treated and resolved, ACEs have the potential to cause increased rates of behavioral issues and chronic diseases.

They can shape how you respond to challenges for the rest of your life. Whether it’s substance abuse, struggles in school, heart disease, obesity, or beyond, the foundation of these problems may be rooted in trauma.

Children develop essential skills over several years. When this pattern is altered by the presence of trauma, kids can grow into adults who lack specific coping skills. With healthy mechanisms for day-to-day functionality, life may feel like one mess after another.

A Few Ways Childhood Trauma Palpably Affects Your Adult Life

• The sense that you didn’t have a real childhood
• Either avoiding relationships or slipping into a cycle of negative connections
• Living life with a victim mentality
• Having difficulty reading situations and the intentions of others
• Feeling dissociated from or numb to your emotions

As daunting as all of the above may sound, help is available. Ideally, children will not experience trauma, and if they do, they will get immediate assistance. Even if this was not the case for you, it’s never too late to begin processing your past and reinventing your present life. With the guidance of a trauma-informed therapist, you can take powerful self-help steps like:

• Accepting what happened without surrendering to its impacts
• Committing to daily self-care
• Honing your communication skills
• Learning how to set and attain goals
• Asking for help when you need it (see below)

You Are Not to Blame for Childhood Trauma

Trauma therapy is how many trauma survivors have come to terms with the past to move confidently into their future. If the information above felt uncomfortably familiar, you, too, can find a healthy resolution to this scenario. Let’s connect and talk about the tools you can develop to heal and recover.