� Clinical researchers have found that

troubled children react to distressing lives

fraught with abuse, abandonment etc.

with “pain-based behavior.”

� Traumatized children’s pain based

challenging behavior s are often

responded to by angry confrontation,

restraint, isolation, and seclusion (Brentro,

Mitchell, & McCall, 2009).

� Adults that work with children that exhibit

pain-based challenging behavior often

react to problems instead of responding to

the needs children are communicating

through their challenging behaviors.

� Research has shown that most children that

exhibit pain-based challenging behavior

are often reacting to relational trauma.

� When a learner shows pain-based behavior, administering more pain only deepens the learner’s distress.

� The most ethical principle for school staff is to: do no harm.

� Children of trauma replay their pain with new players.

� Many children experience traumas so frequently that a state of hyper arousal or numbing becomes a permanent trait in the children which makes it difficult to concentrate or focus to learn and for some it takes behaviors such as “cutting” to feel anything

� Parents, teachers, social workers, SLP’s etc. need to avoid being drawn into conflict cycles marked by power struggles, counter aggression, and avoidance.

� Children that experience abuse, neglect, violence,

and disruption of secure bonds often develop fears &

extreme helplessness. The children learn to totally rely

on adults to calm their emotions (Brentro et.al. 2009 &

Hawn, 2011).

� Traumatized children experience pervasive distress

that may be shown by anxiety, fear, rage, guilt,

depression, lack of attachment, attention deficits,

impulsivity, explosiveness, oppositional behavior, and

conduct problems.

� When children do not receive comforting caregivers,

they do not learn to comfort themselves and therefore

do not develop emotional self-regulation.

� Traumatized children are often diagnosed

with disorders such as: depression, ADHD;

ODD, conduct disorders, RAD; anxiety

disorders, aggression etc.

� Unfortunately, some of the most destructive

abuse of children comes from the very

individuals children love.

� The focus is often on “what is wrong” with

the child, rather than “what has happened

to the child” to result in the challenging

behaviors and labels assigned.

� Research has found that traumatized

children often blame themselves for their

mistreatment by trusted people in their

lives as illustrated by the following

statement made by a youth: “I have been

raped, beaten, and humiliated since I was

a little boy. Even my priest did it to me. This

does not happen to everyone-it’s got to

be something wrong with me” (Peterson,

2008).

SYMPTOMS OF DEVELOPMENTAL TRAUMAS

DEVELOPMENTAL ISSUES SUGGESTED INTERVENTIONS

Clinging, an obvious need to touch or be touched, shy regressive behaviors, whining, helplessness, watching others rather than participating, dependent in relationships with others, tendency to be lethargic and low energy

Incomplete bonding with another person;Trauma during the first year of life that has damaged the child’s ability to bond, including: premature separation from mother; repeated separation from mother; too many different caregivers

Spend extra time, recruit help with tasks, listen to and support feelings (“You look like you are sad”), give unconditional responses (“I like you”), provide mirroring (“I see you…”)

Suspicious, sneaky, little self-disclosure, few friends, lying, secretive, belligerent, high-risk behaviors

Poorly developed sense of basic trust;Impaired ability to trust due to abuse or threat of abuse; physical trauma such as surgery or medical procedures, particularly during the first two months of life

Encourage the child to trust their own feelings and responses, teach them effective ways to determine the trustworthiness of others: help them learn criteria they can use to make such decisions

SYMPTOMS OF

DEVELOPMENTAL

TRAUMAS

DEVELOPMENTAL

ISSUES

SUGGESTED

INTERVENTIONS

Putting objects in their mouths, chewing pencils and erasers, talking incessantly, acting-out to get attention, smoking, drinking, using drugs, gum chewing, nail biting, excessive snacking

Unsatisfied oral needsTrauma during period between the ages of four and six months that disrupts the period of oral bonding between the child and the mother

Confront inappropriatebehavior, support “okayness” and problem solving, set reasonable limits, give positive reinforcement of appropriate behaviors

Not respecting property, feelings and rights of others; not keeping agreements-,minor shoplifting; interrupting; name calling; not knowing who owns the problem; not taking responsibility but blaming others; touching others inappropriately

Lack of respect for personal boundaries, personal boundaries not respected by parentsLack of developmentally appropriate limits during the second year of life, inhibiting the child’s abilities to accept external authority and to develop boundaries and consequences

Teach the child about limits/boundaries;Set reasonable, clearly defined limits that are enforced consistently; arrange logical and natural consequences

� ABC’s of developing skills in self regulation,

self comfort, relating to others with warmth

and trust, and communication is through

interactions with a loving caregiver that

provides safety & nurturing.

� Children, up until around ages ten to

twelve are dependent on others: what

they think about them, expect from them

etc.

� If the caregivers are nurturing,

emotionally available, establish healthy

boundaries for the kids, provide a

positive sense of consistency and

predictability, then kids emerge with a

healthy sense of self (Branden, 2008).

� Imperfections in the primary relationships

with caregivers results in detrimental

development in self identity.

� Children who experience terror & instability instead of safety and security end up with a fractured sense of self before it is fully formed

� Kids growing up with disapproval suffer what Abraham Maslow called the ”secret psychic death” which is characterized by a loss of self and gradual agreement with adult perceptions that the child is “unacceptable”.

� Such children enter the world and schools with belief systems based on fear, inconsistency, and negative messages about their basic value.

Kids that are Abused, kids with Anxiety

Disorders, PTSD, ODD; RAD etc.

� Given their socialization and upbringing,

what do most kids with these disorders

have in common?

�Fear

�Feelings of inadequacy

�Thinking that they are not good enough

�Feeling s & belief that they do not measure up

� Children whose development is traumatic have trouble accepting compliments.

� Because many grow up with harsh criticism, they over-personalize issues and tend to avoid responsibility and blame others so that there is no continuing focus on their shortcomings

� Tend to manipulate, intimidate, and use control to get their needs met and some end up being bullies

� Engage in black-and-white type thinking and often compare

� Many do not learn boundaries

� Bear (2011) reports that many end up with low frustration tolerance, angry all the time, and unable to delay gratification that emanates from not learning boundaries and inability to redirect negative emotions: were not taught how and may never have been modeled for them

� Some of the learners will become risk takers, while others become very reluctant to try anything new

� Are often afraid to fail lest they be further

condemned, procrastinate, or become

perfectionists.

� Tend to exaggerate

� Make assumptions about people

� Do not learn to plan ahead

� To camouflage their feelings, or to try and fit in,

many become “people pleasers” or cohesive

friendships, or bully others into friendships

� Negative peer relationships & interactions can be turned into positive peer influence. Build trust relationships with students and among peers (Discuss specific examples to accomplish this).

� The events stored in a child’s memory & how the child interprets these sets the course of development. Expose kids to safe learning environments (Examples of strategies to create emotional safety at home and school)

� Teach children about how their brains learn and how their emotions work using curriculum such as MindUp Curriculum, Mindful Moves; Exploring Feelings: Cognitive Behavior Therapy to Manage Anxiety and Anger curricula etc.

� Kandel (2000) states that synapses hold our fondest & most fearsome memories. Create fun, emotionally healthy memories at home and school (Discuss specific examples to accomplish this).

� Brain cells convert short term memory into enduring pathways in the brain.

� Since the neurological skills schools & society value in children e.g. ability to delay gratification, moderate personal behavior, control impulses, demonstrate empathy and consideration for others, develop within a relationship of trust and nurturing, parents and teachers need to create home and learning environments and experiences that communicate consistent care and positive relationship with children.

� Help kids with past trauma change the tapes playing in their brains: help them change and reframe, negate, stop the negative ways they think about themselves .

� Dyer (2013) states that our bodies respond to what we place in our minds i.e. kids will feel and act according to what they think e.g. “poor me” thinking results in not trying or giving up.

� Help kids change the way they feel: change of the feelings that they experience in their bodies will change their destiny (our subconscious is most impacted by our feelings and our subconscious minds rule our lives because it is on and working all the time).

� Teach kids to use affirmations: but keep in mind that affirmations are an intellectual exercise, while feelings are physical and therefore changing feelings makes more of an impression.

� Help kids imagine positive experiences they want: do some of this on papers they can keep and refer to later (Discuss specific examples to accomplish this).

� Help kids realize that opinions other people have of them, research, the internet, etc. should not determine what they feel and believe about themselves

� Holden (2013) suggests that parents and teachers should help kids learn to develop personal goals about what they want to be, what they want to stand for.

� Teach kids how not to retrieve & replay past negative experiences, but rather, teach them how to have imagination and “preplay” the future they desire and want (Discuss examples of how to do this)

� In order to grow and change, we need to teach kids how to accept themselves and then teach them to forgive and let go of the pain others have imposed on them and the negativity they lead them to believe about themselves (Discuss examples of how to do this).

� Teach kids to let go of defenses and to allow themselves to discover who they really are and be okay with that.

� Teach kids not to use victim vocabulary and not to describe themselves negatively (Discuss specific examples to accomplish this)..

� Problem solve in ways that help kids gain some insights about their choices/behaviors and then figure out what they need to change and how by using approaches like Life Space Crisis Intervention that use crisis as a teachable moment ((Demonstrate an example of one LSCI strategy).

� Use the Circle of Courage framework to help families and school staff build connections, belonging, cultures of respect, build hope, build skills, and transform children’s lives by helping them learn to become givers and contribute to their communities (Give examples).

� Don’t allow student to perseverate

about the fears they have

� Avoid deviating from treatment plans

� Provide established prompts if student

seems fearful

� Immediately change the subject

� Provide a rational explanation to allay

the fear

� Assign study buddy to the child

� Encourage students to participate in small groups

� Make a point of speaking to students each day

� Help student identify school or community clubs to join

� Present a lesson non-verbal and verbal communication skills to the whole class

� Avoid embarrassing the student

� Change and self discipline requires being aware of one’s inner states & being able to move into the frontal lobes of one’s brain where one can think rationally & can teach children the skills they need to learn

� Teachers that are prone to unproductive emotional states are not in positions to model healthy behavior for students

� Teachers need to use “Active Calming”

to discipline themselves first: use the STAR

strategy from the conscious discipline

program: S-smile; T-Take a deep breath

A- and R- relax; use affirmations; wish the

child well; & focus on what you want the

child to do.