✅ provide a safe, predictable environment
✅ prepare the student for changes
✅ be flexible about participation
✅ use writing and art to express feelings

✅ show genuine interest
✅ provide opportunities for play and laughter
✅ set achievable goals
✅ praise effort
✅ encourage physical activity

✅ privately discuss anger
✅ acknowledge real problems
✅ demonstrate proper forms of expression such as through stories or drama

Resource: Manitoba Education. (2012). Life After War: Education as a Healing Process for Refugee and War-Affected Children. https://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/docs/support/law/full_doc.pdf

They start rapidly with a "fight or glight response" that means that they are overreacting to a situation that is safe.

They want to stay away from people, places or some activites.

They keep thinking about the trauma even when they do not want to remember it.

They need a better understand of their child and take part in their care. They will need to go to an specialist that let them know how to support their child at any time.

Medication is not a unique treatment. It usually act with other treatments together. Antidepressant medications are commonly prescribed.

Talks about their fear, teach the child how to manage anxiety, how to relax would be very powerful for them.

References:

Medical Trauma. (n.d.). NCTSN. Retrieved August 26, 2020, from https://www.nctsn.org/what-is-child-trauma/trauma-types/medical-trauma

Treatments for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in Children. (n.d.). BOSTON CHILDREN HOSPITAL. Retrieved August 26, 2020, from http://www.childrenshospital.org/conditions-and-treatments/conditions/p/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/treatments

Signs & Symptoms:

• Reluctance or refusal to go to school.
• Frequently reports headaches, stomach aches or feeling sick without medical reason.
• Trouble sleeping and frequent nightmares.
• Shows little interest in hanging out with friends and avoids social situations.
• Unexplained injuries.
• Low self-esteem.
• Eats less, sometimes skips breakfast or dinner, or binge eats.
• Poor grades and lack of interest in school.

Prevention & Response Strategies:

• Listen - Everyone should be listened to and involved in developing strategies to prevent and respond to bullying.
• Include all - All students, including those with special needs and learning difficulties should be fully valued and participating in all aspects of school life.
• Respect - All school staff are role models to others within the school in how they treat others.
• Challenge - All forms of discriminatory language should be challenged and taken seriously.
• Celebrate differences - Difference should be actively and visibly celebrated across the whole school.
• Understand - Everyone should understand what bullying is.
• Believe - All students are acknowledged, believed and taken seriously when reporting incidents of bullying.
• Report - Everyone should understand how to report incidents of bullying.
• Take action - All incidents of bullying should be responded to quickly and efficiently.
• Clear policies - School anti-bullying policies are promoted and embedded within other school policies.

Definition:

Bullying is the use of force, coercion, or threat, to abuse, aggressively dominate or intimidate.

Bullying can have lasting impacts on everyone involved. In fact, bullying is considered an Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE). ACEs are potentially traumatic events that can have negative, lasting effects on a person's development, the way they interact with others, and how they perform in school (StopBullying, 2020).

References:

Anti-Bullying Alliance (2020) United Against Bullying: 10 Key Principles [Online]. Available From: https://www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/sites/default/files/field/attachment [Accessed: 27th August 2020].

Boston Children's Hospital (n.d.) Bullying: Symptoms & Causes [Online]. Available From: http://www.childrenshospital.org/conditions-and-treatments/conditions/b/bullying/symptoms-and-causes [Accessed: 27th August 2020].

StopBullying (2020) Bullying & Trauma [Online]. Available From: https://www.stopbullying.gov/bullying/bullying-and-trauma [Accessed: 27th August 2020].

Definition: Covert sexual abuse - the abuse is implied rather than physical. It can include exposing oneself to a minor, exposing a minor to sexual videos or images, taking sexual images or videos of a minor, or stalking, harassing and cyber harassing of a sexual nature. Overt sexual abuse - the abuse is physical, non consensual and/or is from a person in a position of power or an adult over the minor and is of sexual nature.

Response/Treatments: -Know the facts: Children with disabilities, modern technology, and children ages 7-13 - create higher risk to be abused. Watch out for these students more carefully!
-Know Age appropriate sexual development for your students - not knowing if something is normal can be a sign of abuse.
-Encourage emotional regulation - the ability to respond to the emotions felt in any given situation in a healthy and socially acceptable way. -Support school policy and work with the PLC and guidance counselors.
-Report problems and be an adult they can speak with openly without fear of judgement. -Avoid making assumptions or any victim type blame (what were you doing in that chat room! Why were you with such an older person? Why did you wear that outfit?)
-Provide structure and a sense of security, including developing a safety plan. -Help the students to know what support the school can offer and the role of staff as mandated reporter (can not be kept secret!).
-Identify triggers and anxiety concerns and try to avoid them.
-Have daily check ins to see how students are feeling emotionally.

References:
Title IX – Sexual Harassment and Definitions. (2018). Retrieved August 28, 2020, from https://www.riohondo.edu/hr/title-ix-sexual-harassment-and-definitions/

Learn How You Can Help Prevent Child Sexual Abuse. (n.d.). Retrieved August 28, 2020, from https://defendinnocence.org/

Rossen, E., Cevasco, M., & Hull, R. (2019). Best practices for supporting and educating students who have experienced domestic violence or sexual victimization. Retrieved August 28, 2020, from http://www.nea.org/home/62845.htm

Signs/Symptoms: 5x more likely to be hospitalized for mental health, 3x more likely to attempt suicide, poor academic performance, skip school and likely to drop out in high school, higher risk for drug abuse or other risky behavior in high school, may try to be secretive or say they were told not share a special secret, may show signs of overt sexual, behavior, young children may have a rash or hurt them-self in genital areas

Symptons:

Tired in class – cause lack of sleep because of nightmares, guilt or self-blame about the death or how the person died.

Learning problems, the child may have trouble with concentration, memory, comprehension, paying attention in class, and/or or falling asleep in class.

Avoidance – child may avoid all memories of deceased person happy or sad. Including: activities, people and objects that remind child of the deceased person.

Re-experiencing- the child has frightening memories. Memories: thoughts or dreams of deceased person, scar thoughts or dreams unrelated to the death.

Hyperarousal, the child may have difficulty sleeping, increased anger, physical symptoms or increased jumpiness.

Emotional behavioral: acting out, outbursts, depression, anger, irritability, anxiety

Physical symptoms – stomachache, decreased concentration, headaches

Treatment:

Go slow and let the child lead the conversation.

Remind the child you are there for them.

Always be honest to the child.

Help child learn to label and cope with negative reactions.

Reassure the child that their grief is special.

The grief can be long lasting and help the child learn not to be consumed by it.

Address traumatic expectations which can inhibit positive aspirations and preparations for the future.

Role play with the child about their grief

References

Judith A. Cohen, Anthony P. Mannarino (2011) Supporting children with traumatic grief: What educators need to know School Psychology International 32(2) 117–131 sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/0143034311400827

TGCTA: Trauma and Grief Component Therapy for Adolescents. (2005). NCTSN.Org. https://www.nctsn.org/interventions/trauma-and-grief-component-therapy-adolescents

Schonfeld, MD, D., & Quackenbush, M. (2005). After a Loved One Dies—How Children Grieve. Www.Aap.Org. https://www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/aap-health-initiatives/Children-and-Disasters/Documents/After-a-Loved-One-Dies-English.pdf

Seven Griefing Children Want you to Know. (n.d.). Https://Www.Spectrumhealthlakeland.Org/

https://www.spectrumhealthlakeland.org/caring-circle/news/lines-of-hope-archive/lines-of-hope-winter-2019/seven-things-grieving-children-want-you-to-know

Listen to the child talk. When listening, do not ask questions, listen with a receptive attitude. If the psychological condition of the child is not severe, it is also effective to let the children have discussions in an environment where teachers and counselors are present.

Those kids suddenly changed their environment and are in an unstable state, so try to make frequent reassuring words.

Focus on activities that allow children to relax and try to return to their daily school life as gradually as possible

Children with Special Needs, in particular, can become restless due to the changes in their daily lives. Must create an environment where SPED children can relax

Difficulty creating and maintaining healthy relationships

2. Addressing childhood adversity and trauma. Young Minds. Retrieved August 29, 2020 from https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yrnyJ-xWPK58iTZPNHrW6MVzm97FL3of/view

4. Teachers can ensure that their classroom (and their school) has a zero-tolerance policy for bullying, especially bullying stemming from racial, cultural, sexual or religious prejudice

By: Martina Feher

Intergenerational trauma is trauma that is passed down through generations. A traumatic event and the coping mechanisms developed in response to that event can be passed down to children. These children may not have even been born when the initial event took place. These coping mechanisms may not be suitable for the environment that the child is in.

Indirect Intergenerational trauma is when the child develops a feeling of guilt based on their relationship with their family and the families relationship to the traumatic event. The child may feel like they are isolated within their family because they did not live through the traumatic event. Common symptoms include depression, anxiety, and guilt.

Direct Intergenerational trauma is when the child learns unhealthy coping mechanisms directly from their parents. In this case, as far as the behavior of the child is concerned, it is as if the child experienced the traumatic event. Common symptoms include: depression, anti-social behavior, delinquency, and highly disruptive behavior.

Dealing with intergenerational trauma is similar to dealing with any direct trauma. For the child, there is not really a difference between directly or indirectly experiencing the traumatic even and the school should treat it that way. The most important thing is to develop an atmosphere of safety, honesty, and integrity. The child needs to understand why their behavior is unacceptable while at the same time learning how to digest and move on from the trauma that family members experienced. As teachers, we can provide a calm and rational adult presence in their lives and a safe place for them to discuss their feelings and thoughts.

By incorporating physical activities into school activities, students can enjoy and release energy. If students are still hyperactive, try holding a clay or slime in class so they can sit longer. Alternatively, try to introduce a break of 1 or 2 minutes two or three times within the class.

Támara Hill "Should mental health professionals understand intergenerational trauma?" (2017) accessed at https://www.acamh.org/blog/intergenerational-trauma/

Tori DeAngelis "The Legacy of Trauma" (2019) accessed at https://www.apa.org/monitor/2019/02/legacy-trauma

Zur Institute " Understanding and Treating Intergenerational Transmission of Trauma" (2014) accessed at https://www.zurinstitute.com/clinical-updates/intergenerational-trauma/