The Impact of Trauma and

Social Emotional Development on

Learning and Life

St. Louis Learning Disabilities Association (LDA)13537 Barrett Pkwy Dr Suite 110 Ballwin MO 63021 | ph: 314 966 3088 | www.ldastl.org

ObjectivesWhat is traumaHow does it impact brain and

social emotional developmentHow it both impacts learning and

the life of a childUnderstanding behaviorStrategiesSelf Care

What is TraumaDefined as an experience that threatens life or

may cause physical injury and is so powerful and dangerous that it overwhelms the child’s capacity to regulate emotions

Generally, traumatic events evoke feelings of extreme fear and helplessness

Reactions to traumatic events are determined by the subjective experience of the child, which could be impacted by developmental and cultural factors

What is extremely traumatic for one child may be less so for another

Childhood trauma…

…can be any negative experience that causes major stress for an infant or child, interfering with a child’s social emotional and cognitive development

Quick Overview of Brain Development Grown Child’s Brain –

◦ synapses organize the brain ◦ by age 3 the brain has reached almost 90% of it adult size

Pre puberty – ◦ frontal lobe growth spurt – governs planning, impulse

control and reasoning ◦ goes through a process of pruning synapses – somewhat

like the infant and toddlers brain◦ still the age of impulsivity until their frontal lobes are

matured. Adolescent Brain Development –

◦ brain tissue continues to develop sometimes until the age of 32 – typically though mid-twenties

Young Adult – ◦ the brain develops more myelin to insulate the nerve fibers

and speed neural processing – occurs in the frontal lobe

The concept of resilience

It is the processes by which children develop into well-adjusted adults despite adverse circumstances

Brain plasticity – the ability of the brain to respond to experience by modifying its structure and function

Impact on Social and Emotional DevelopmentSurviving or Thriving?

Social Emotional Development:Attunement and Attachment

Attunement impacts emotions – development and regulation – it is how attachment happens

Attachment develops over time and impacts the ability to form relationships and interact with others

Attunement and AttachmentHow do these develop Young children are developing

communication, empathy, relationships, self-awareness, self-regulation and a basic sense of self

Inconsistency in young years can undermine healthy development – inconsistent caregivers

This makes young children especially vulnerable to the impact of trauma

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8ZTx1AEup4

Conditions that support human development

Protection and nurturance from adults

Opportunities to explore and learn from the environment

Experiences are encoded in the brain through learning and memory – pleasant and unpleasant

Stress:Positive stress –

◦ moderate, brief and generally a normal part of life. Such as entering a new child care or school setting

◦ Learning to adjust to this type of stress is an essential component of healthy development.

Tolerable stress – ◦ Events that have the potential to alter the

developing brain negatively◦ Occur infrequently and give the brain time to

recover – death of a love oneToxic stress –

◦ Strong, frequent and prolonged activation of the body’s stress response system – chronic neglect or traumatic event

Situations that can be stressful or traumatic:

Physical or sexual abuse Caregiver’s substance abuse Abandonment Neglect The death or loss of a loved one Life-threatening illness in a caregiver Witnessing domestic violence Automobile accidents or other serious accidents Bullying Life-threatening health situations and/or painful medical

procedures Witnessing or experiencing community violence (e.g., shootings,

stabbings, robbery, or fighting at home, in the neighborhood, or at school)

Witnessing police activity or having a close relative incarcerated Life-threatening natural disasters Acts or threats of terrorism (viewed in person or on television) Living in chronically chaotic environments in which housing and

financial resources are not consistently available

PTSD and the brain When posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) occurs, the

brain gets stuck in the trauma and relives it over and over again.

Reminders of the trauma can trigger a flood of stress hormones before a child even knows what is happening.

Symptoms of childhood PTSD include: ◦ Zoning out, ◦ withdrawing ◦ Sleep problems such as night terrors or repeated night waking ◦ Loss of developmental skills such as a child who is learning to

speak suddenly stops talking, ◦ violent play such as acting out threats and physical attacks

with toys over and over again

What you might observe in Preschool children: Remember, young children do not always have the words to tell you what has happened

to them or how they feel.

Behavior is a better gauge and sudden changes in behavior can be a sign of trauma exposure.

Separation anxiety or clinginess towards teachers or primary caregivers

Regression in previously mastered stages of development (e.g., baby talk or bedwetting/toileting accidents)

Lack of developmental progress (e.g., not progressing at same level as peers)

Re-creating the traumatic event (e.g., repeatedly talking about, “playing” out, or drawing the event)

Difficulty at naptime or bedtime (e.g., avoiding sleep, waking up, or nightmares)

Increased somatic complaints (e.g., headaches, stomachaches, overreacting to minor bumps and bruises)

Changes in behavior (e.g., appetite, unexplained absences, angry outbursts, decreased attention, withdrawal)

Over- or under-reacting to physical contact, bright lighting, sudden movements, or loud sounds (e.g., bells,

slamming doors, or sirens)

Increased distress (unusually whiny, irritable, moody)

Anxiety, fear, and worry about safety of self and others

Worry about recurrence of the traumatic event

New fears (e.g., fear of the dark, animals, or monsters)

Statements and questions about death and dying

What you might observe in school age students:

• Anxiety, fear, and worry about safety of self and others (more clingy with teacher or parent)

• Worry about recurrence of violence• Increased distress (unusually whiny, irritable, moody)• Changes in behavior:• Increase in activity level• Decreased attention and/or concentration• Withdrawal from others or activities• Angry outbursts and/or aggression• Absenteeism• Distrust of others, affecting how children interact with both adults and peers• A change in ability to interpret and respond appropriately to social cues• Increased somatic complaints (e.g., headaches, stomachaches, overreaction to minor

bumps and bruises)• Changes in school performance• Recreating the event (e.g., repeatedly talking about, “playing” out, or drawing the event)• Over- or under-reacting to bells, physical contact, doors slamming, sirens, lighting,

sudden movements• Statements and questions about death and dying• Difficulty with authority, redirection, or criticism• Re-experiencing the trauma (e.g., nightmares or disturbing memories during the day)• Hyperarousal (e.g., sleep disturbance, tendency to be easily startled)• Avoidance behaviors (e.g., resisting going to places that remind them of the event)• Emotional numbing (e.g., seeming to have no feeling about the event)

Trauma Leads to Other Health Problems

Children who experience trauma are more likely to have health problems such as bedwetting, stomach problems, and chronic headaches.

Remember resilience

Some children, if given support, will recover within a few weeks or months from the fear and anxiety caused by a traumatic experience.

However, some children will need more help over a longer period of time in order to heal and may need continuing support from family, teachers, or mental health professionals.

Anniversaries of the events or media reports may act as reminders to the child, causing a recurrence of symptoms, feelings, and behaviors.

Children who have experienced traumatic events may have behavioral problems, or their suffering may not be apparent at all.

It is important to be aware of both the children who act out and the quiet children who don’t appear to have behavioral problems. These children often “fly beneath the radar” and do not get help. In any situation where there is a possibility of abuse you may be legally required to report the information to social services or law enforcement.

Be alert to the possibility of misdiagnosis due to the many presentations of trauma-related anxiety. For instance, many behaviors seen in children who have experienced trauma are nearly identical to those of children with developmental delays, ADHD and other mental health conditions. Without recognition of the possibility that a child is experiencing childhood traumatic stress, adults may develop a treatment plan that does not fully address the specific needs of that child with regard to trauma.

Impact on the brain and Social Emotional Development

First impressions last a lifetime. A child’s brain will blossom from lots of positive, nurturing experiences

Negative experiences have the opposite effect on brain development— trauma can leave a lasting imprint on the developing brain.

The younger a child is, the more vulnerable their brain is to the effects of trauma

Trauma Interferes with Learning When children feel calm and safe,

they focus their energy on learningChildren who are dealing with trauma

are often in a chronic state of crisisThey focus on trying to feel “OK” or

normalThis compromises their ability to learnTraumatized children have more

speech problems and difficulty learning how to read.

Statically Speaking…One out of every 4 children

attending school has been exposed to a traumatic event that can affect their social development impacting learning and/or behavior.

Let’s review the facts….

FACT: Impact on School Performance

• Lower GPA • Higher rate of school absences

• Increased drop-out• More suspensions and expulsions

• Decreased reading ability

FACT: Impair Learning

Single exposure to traumatic events may cause jumpiness, intrusive thoughts, interrupted sleep and nightmares, anger and moodiness, and/or social withdrawal—any of which can interfere with concentration and memory.

Chronic exposure to traumatic events, especially during a child’s early years, can: • Adversely affect social and emotional development

attention, memory, and cognition• Reduce a child’s ability to focus, organize, and process

information• Interfere with effective problem solving and/or planning • Result in overwhelming feelings of frustration and

anxiety

FACT: Physical/ Social and Emotional Distress

Physical symptoms like headaches and stomachaches Poor control of emotions Inconsistent academic performance Unpredictable and/or impulsive behavior Over or under-reacting to bells, physical contact, doors

slamming, sirens, lighting, sudden movements

Intense reactions to reminders of their traumatic event: ◦ Thinking others are violating their personal space, i.e., “What are you

looking at?” ◦ Blowing up when being corrected or told what to do by an authority

figure◦ Fighting when criticized or teased by others◦ Resisting transition and/or change

FACT: You can help a child who has been traumatized…

• Maintain routines. ◦ Any “normalcy” will communicate the message that

the child is safe and life will go on.

Understand that children cope by re-enacting trauma through play or through their interactions with others. ◦ Resist their efforts to draw you into a negative

repetition of the trauma. For instance, some children will provoke teachers or care giving adults in order to replay abusive situations at home.

Safe Emotional EnvironmentGive children choices. Often traumatic events

involve loss of control and/or chaos, so you can help children feel safe by providing them with some choices or control when appropriate.

Provide a safe place for the child to talk about what happened. Set aside a designated time and place for sharing to help the child know it is okay to talk about what happened.

Be aware of other children’s reactions to the traumatized child and to the information they share. Protect the traumatized child from peers’ curiosity and protect peers from the details of a child’s trauma.

Safe Physical Environment Be sensitive to the cues in the environment that may

cause a reaction in the traumatized child. ◦ For example, victims of natural storm-related disasters might

react very badly to threatening weather or storm warnings.◦ Children may increase problem behaviors near an

anniversary of a traumatic event.

Anticipate difficult times and provide additional support.◦ Many kinds of situations may be reminders. ◦ If you are able to identify reminders, you can help by

preparing the child for the situation.

Warn children if you will be doing something out of the ordinary, such as turning off the lights or making a sudden loud noise.

The Learning Environment While a traumatized child might not meet

eligibility criteria for special education, consider making accommodations and modifications to academic work for a short time, even including these in a 504 plan.

You might: ◦ Shorten assignments ◦ Allow additional time to complete assignments ◦ Give permission to leave class to go to a

designated adult (such as a counselor or school nurse) if feelings become overwhelming

◦ Provide additional support for organizing and remembering assignments

The Behavioral EnvironmentSet clear, firm limits for

inappropriate behavior and develop logical—rather than punitive— consequences.

Recognize that behavioral problems may be related to trauma.

Remember that even the most disruptive behaviors can be driven by trauma-related anxiety.

Understanding behavior…

Collect data on persistent behavior to track the occurrences

Data Collection for: __________________________

Behavior Observed: __________________________

Time Mon. Tues. Wed. Thurs. Fri.

8:00-9:00

9:00-10:00

10:00-11:00

11:00-12:00

12:00-1:00

1:00-2:00

2:00-3:00

3:00-4:00

Pic/Nic AnalysisAntecedents Behavior Consequence

sPositive/Negative

Immediate/Future

Certain/Uncertain

When should a referral be made for additional help for a traumatized child?

When reactions are severe (such as intense hopelessness or fear) or go on for a long time (more than one month) and interfere with a child’s functioning, give referrals for additional help.

As severity can be difficult to determine—with some children becoming avoidant or appearing to be fine (e.g., a child who performs well academically no matter what)—don’t feel you have to be certain before making a referral.

Let a mental health professional evaluate the likelihood that the child could benefit from some type of intervention.

Tips for care givers and teachers1. Be aware of the signs. of compassion fatigue: Increased irritability or impatience with students

Difficulty planning classroom activities and lessons Decreased concentrationDenying that traumatic events impact students or feeling numb or detached Intense feelings and intrusive thoughts, that don’t lessen over time, about a student’s trauma

Dreams about students’ traumas

2. Don’t go it alone. Anyone who knows about stories of trauma needs to guard against isolation. Whilerespecting the confidentiality of your students, get support by working in teams, talking to others in yourschool, and asking for support from administrators or colleagues.

3. Recognize compassion fatigue as an occupational hazard. When an educator approaches studentswith an open heart and a listening ear, compassion fatigue can develop. All too often educators judgethemselves as weak or incompetent for having strong reactions to a student’s trauma. Compassionfatigue is not a sign of weakness or incompetence; rather, it is the cost of caring.

4. Seek help with your own traumas. Any adult helping children with trauma, who also has his or her ownunresolved traumatic experiences, is more at risk for compassion fatigue.

5. If you see signs in yourself, talk to a professional. If you are experiencing signs of compassion fatiguefor more than two to three weeks, seek counseling with a professional who is knowledgeable abouttrauma.

6. Attend to self care. Guard against your work becoming the only activity that defines who you are.Keep perspective by spending time with children and adolescents who are not experiencing traumaticstress. Take care of yourself by eating well and exercising, engaging in fun activities, taking a break duringthe workday, finding time to self-reflect, allowing yourself to cry, and finding things to laugh about.

When to seek self care? Seek support and consultation

routinely for yourself in order to prevent “compassion fatigue,” also referred to as “secondary traumatic stress.”

Be aware that you can develop compassion fatigue from exposure to trauma through the children with whom you work.

Thank youQuestions…

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iles/The_Amazing_Brain-2.pdf https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubPDFs/brain_development.p

df https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8ZTx1AEup4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTsewNrHUHU http://rems.ed.gov/docs/nctsn_childtraumatoolkitforeducato

rs.pdf Young Exceptional Children. Nov. 1997 (1) pp. 2-8. “Keys to Being Successful When

Confronted with Challenging Behaviors” by Strain, P. & Hemmeter, M. Teaching Exceptional Children. Spring 1993. Special Focus: Functional Assessment. Technical Assistance Bulletin. Nov. 1999. Issues in Education. Missouri Dept. of

Elementary and Secondary Education Center for Innovation in Special Education.