Life can be challenging, and we will all go through difficult life events and experiences. Most of the time, we’re able to get through them ok.
However, some experiences or events may be so stressful, distressing or frightening that they have a lasting impact on our wellbeing. We can call these kind of events traumatic experiences. A traumatic experience can be a single event or something that happens repeatedly over time. When trauma happens during childhood, especially if it’s ongoing or complex, it can affect how the brain develops. This can lead to challenges in different areas of a child or young person’s life, such as learning, relationships, or managing emotions.
Children and young people respond to trauma in different ways, even if they’ve been through similar experiences. Many don’t need specialist help, and often, the best support comes from the people around them.
You can find out more about how trauma affects children and young people, and how you can support them in our Sway below.
