Throughout our lives, most of us will be subjected to events that are potentially traumatizing. When these events occur during our youth, they can leave deep and lasting emotional scars. It’s essential that children who have experienced traumatic events have a support system that knows how to help. Advanced Pediatrics of Rockland helps attend to the needs of its patients by incorporating information from the Center for Pediatric Traumatic Stress into its care policies.
Trauma-Informed Pediatric Care And How It Protects Your Children
20 years ago, the Center for Pediatric Traumatic Stress was founded with the goal of better understanding how traumatic events impact children in a healthcare setting. As their understanding of pediatric stress grew, they developed materials that provided medical providers with the tools for use in their daily practice. These resources include workbooks and tip sheets aimed at empowering parents and children in a healthcare setting.
One element emphasized by trauma-informed pediatric care is taking a multidisciplinary approach. Multidisciplinary is a term that means involving providers from different specialties and backgrounds in treatment. It’s important to know that the definition of ‘trauma’ is highly personal and experiential in nature rather than being strictly defined. Some examples of things that may result in trauma include:
- Getting an injection, as the anticipation of the needle, can cause high anxiety and stress.
- Battling a deadly disease such as cancer or being close to someone going through this.
- Surviving an accident of any severity, but especially horrible or devastating ones.
- Living in an abusive or neglectful environment.
Trauma-informed pediatric care education is facilitated by physicians undergoing training by a Center for Pediatric Stress professional. In addition, the training practitioners receive one on one, and in classes, there are online resources available to keep everyone up to date on the latest practices. This training is essential as trauma can be difficult to identify in children.
This is due, in part, to children having difficulty expressing their feelings or bottling things up out of fear or embarrassment. Identifying symptoms include:
- Unusually outbursts of anger or confrontational behavior
- Becoming withdrawn
- Sudden disinterest in favorite activities
- Alterations in sleeping patterns
- An increase or decrease in appetite, sudden changes in food preferences, and other dietary shifts.
When you notice symptoms like these, it’s important to start seeking help for your child. While there are numerous reasons some of these symptoms may occur, it’s worth determining if they might be trauma-based.
Contact Advanced Pediatrics Of Rockland For Pediatric Care
Guiding our children safely through to adulthood can be quite a challenge. As pediatric care providers, it’s our duty to be an ally to parents navigating their child’s developmental years. We’re here to advocate for your child’s health, and using trauma-informed pediatric care helps us accomplish this task effectively. Knowing how to set a child at ease while receiving healthcare as part of a positive or uplifting experience means we’re doing it right. Contact our office at (845) 364-9800 to schedule an appointment at our Pomona, NY, office today!
