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types of childhood traumatic stress, Counseling Treatment:, What we can do…

- - - - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzKXRuKNd8Q
        
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tiH_HAICu8
  - - - Do: Intervene immediately, separate the kids involved, make sure everyone is safe, meet any immediate medical or mental health needs, stay calm, reassure the kids involved, model respectful behavior when you intervene.
        
        Do not: Ignore it, immediately try to sort out the facts, question the children involved in front of others, talk to the kids involved together, make the kids involved apologize on the spot.
- - - - "One of the challenges in giving that support is that when kids misbehave, our schools often use disciplinary systems that involve withdrawing attention and support, rather than addressing their problems. Schools have very little patience for kids who provoke and push away adults who try to help them." Link
    - - "teachers need to support and coach these children in ways to calm themselves and manage their emotions". Some students may benefit from having a safe area where they can go and calm down when they become overwhelmed.
    - - "Positive attention includes not only praising them for desired behavior but expressing warmth and kindness that aren’t necessarily earned." Trauma survivors in particular may need genuine kindness.
    - - “If you can connect with what they’re trying to tell you, they may settle. It can work even if you just make a guess — you don’t have to be right, they can correct you.” At times, their vigilance may be triggered by false alarms, while at other times there might be an actual problem they're picking up on. Asking and connecting with them about what's bothering them can clue the teacher in to what's bothering them.
    - - problems with memory, attention, planning, and other cognitive skills
        
        Extra care and lesson plan differentiation may be needed, and the student may also benefit from extra tutoring or support if the classroom environment is too stressful or uncomfortable for them to learn in
    - - fighting, running away, substance abuse, spacing out, self-injurious behaviors, eating disorders
        
        In the case of more serious problems, school staff, administration and counselors would need to be made aware and intervene with support if necessary
    - - In some cases these students may prefer being isolated due to feeling safer, which the teacher should allow, while in other cases they may desire social interaction which the teacher should facilitate. Asking and listening to the student would be ideal.
    - - Respecting a student's body by not touching them or invading their personal space should be the default for a teacher after about 2nd grade, but may need to be the rule at a younger age for trauma victims
    - - This may be triggered by a comment, a song, an activity, a memory or not seeing the parent picking them up anymore. Allow the student their ability to grieve, and be supportive of them in their grief.
  - - - Telling the student that their parent is "sleeping" or "gone away for a while" may be confusing or damaging
- - - - Signs of emotional abuse:
        1.Problems in school.
        2.Eating disorders, leading to weight loss or poor weight gain.
        3.Emotional issues such as low self-esteem, depression, and anxiety.
        4.Extreme behavior such as acting out, trying hard to please, aggressiveness.
        5.Trouble sleeping.
        6.Vague physical complaints.
    - - Examples of neglect:
        1.Rejecting the child and not giving the child any love.
        2.Not feeding the child..
        3Not dressing the child in proper clothing.
        4.Leaving a child alone for a long time. This is called abandonment.
    - - Examples of emotional abuse:
        1.Not providing the child with a safe environment. The child witnesses violence or severe abuse between parents or adults.
        2.Threatening the child with violence or abandonment.
        3.Constantly criticizing or blaming the child for problems.
        4.The child's parent or caregiver does not show concern for the child, and refuses help from others for the child.
        
        https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007225.htm
- - - - Possible signs of sexual abuse: https://www.enoughabuse.org/gtf/possible-signs-in-children.html
      - What should teachers do: create expectations that they can meet by identifying what their strengths are, help them create a personal identity by making them understand what they are good in, allow them to express themselves trough art, drama or creative writing, help them understand that they are valued and worthy of being loved, make them feel as if they belong by putting their work on display along with other, create a positive classroom environment and incorporate the counsellor or psychologist in some of your classes that can educate students on what their emotions mean and that they are important to feel
      - Intervention: talk to the parents and if that doesn't work report your suspicions to social workers or police and have the child checked out. before this you can also have the student attend sessions with the counsellor to see if they are able to explain what has been happening to them.
      - Teachers should not: avoid the signs and symptoms of sexual abuse, ask to many questions with others around, constantly refer to their situation, discuss any topics relative to sexual abuse in class, talk to the parents in front of the student or even inform the student that they will have a talk to their parents, use inappropriate sexual jargon with the student.
      - This is for high school students: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4BxuG5xMD0
        
        steps to follow if you suspect a student is being sexually abused:
        
        recognize the signs
        
        talk to the student
        
        report it
        https://www.rainn.org/articles/if-you-suspect-child-being-harmed
        
        7 ways teachers can help prevent abuse https://defendinnocence.org/child-sexual-abuse-risk-reduction/proactive-parenting/build-support/7-ways-teachers-can-help-prevent-child-sexual-abuse/
- - - - irregular attendance
        
        incomplete assignments
        
        poor grades
        
        behavioral issues
        
        unable to concentrate
        
        social withdrawal
        
        Response Strategies
        
        maintain high expectations
        
        be a role model for students
        
        build positive relationships with students
        
        take students on field trips
        
        create a safe space in the classroom
        
        teach social/emotional skills
        
        offer support to students
        
        How Poverty Affects Classrooms: https://youtu.be/OJ_dJ7G0Xvk
        
        References:
        https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED595246.pdf
        http://studentsofpoverty.weebly.com/signssymptoms-of-students-of-poverty.html
        https://theartofeducation.edu/2018/09/11/5-concrete-ways-to-help-students-living-in-poverty/
        https://www.worldvision.ca/stories/child-sponsorship/what-is-poverty#1
    - - emotionally needy
        
        depressed
        
        anxious
        
        scared
        
        angry
    - - poor hygiene
        
        old/dirty clothing
        
        appears tired
- - - - Physical Problems:
        
        Eating disorders, sleep problems
        
        Poorer physical health, illnesses such as headaches, stomachaches
        
        Chronic fatigue
        
        Self-injury
        
        Changes in sleeping or eating patterns
      - Behavioral Problems
        
        Experiments with risky behaviors
        
        Stop following rules
        
        Rebellious/ breaking laws
        
        Cries/ screams more than usual
        
        Has more tantrum and meltdowns
        
        Startles easily
        
        Goes back to behaviors they outgrew like thumbsucking (for most young children)
        
        Outbursts of anger
        
        Becomes clingy with teachers or caretakers
        
        Substance and alcohol abuse
        
        Bullying
        
        Getting into fights
        
        Teen pregnancy
        
        Aggression and Violent behaviors
        
        Gang Involvements
      - Academic Problems
        
        Declines in Academic performance
        
        Dropout of school
        
        Seems unfocused or distracted
        
        Skipping school
      - Psychological Problems:
        
        Experience suicidal thoughts
        
        Depression, anxiety, PTSD
        
        Fear, guilt, isolation, shame
        
        Separation anxiety
        
        Flashbacks/ recreate the incident in play over time
        
        Becomes unusually withdrawn
        
        Appearing numb
        
        Low self-esteem, difficulties forming relationships or attachments
        *Losing one's sense of safety and security
        
        Frequent nightmares
        
        Bedwetting (in younger children)
        
        What Teachers Can Do
        
        Modify lesson plans: reduce the workload, move at a slower pace, make it more enjoyable. Be considerate of any possible triggering factors
        
        Communicate: be open to talking about students' feelings and questions about the incident. For situations like mass shootings, it's important to give students a chance to talk about it, provide accurate factual information and clarify any misunderstandings
        
        Be aware of student's background: Communicate and work with parents to understand the student's experiences and behaviors in class.
        
        Using PLCs as a chance to communicate with other teachers to support and monitor the students.
        
        Provide structure: During this unstable time, students can benefit from a predictable and consistent routines with clear expectations and structures.
        
        Implementing a system of SEL: providing a procedure to help students regulate and process their emotions
        
        Be patient: Students may rebel, act out or revert back to old habits, give them time and space to recover.
        
        Be supportive and nurturing: provide a safe space for students to be themselves.
        
        Seek Help: Recognize students with distress and refer them to appropriate professional support like social worker, nurse or school counselor
        
        Preschoolers
        
        Use calm voice, simple language
        
        Be honest and sincere in answering their questions related to the trauma
        
        Reassuring the students that they are safe
        
        Provide predictable and consistent routines
        
        Be attentive to their needs and feelings
        
        Give gentle reminders for self care, such as drinking water, getting rest, eating, etc.
        
        School-age students
        
        Provide comfort and reassurance of their safety
        
        Give students space to ask questions, talk about their trauma, express their feelings
        
        Avoid disturbing details of the topic, but remain factual
        
        Be attentive and give students extra attention if they seem "clingy"
        
        If students are withdrawn, give them
        
        Provide students with draw and free play to express themselves or relieve stress
        
        Validate their feelings but set clear expectations and limits
        
        If students re-enact the incidents, pose challenge or questions to let students gain more control of the situation
        
        Provide students with coping strategies, relaxation techniques that the teacher and the class can do together as a group activity
        
        Be present: even if the students seem withdrawal, be present so they know they are loved and cared for.
        
        Adolescents
        
        Take time to listen to the students
        
        Validate their feelings, thoughts and avoid judgements
        
        Allow students time and space to process and talk about their experiences on their own terms
        
        Emphasize hope and positivity: Be a positive influence and provide safe space for students in school/ classroom
        
        Have patience when students exhibit minor behavioral problems
        
        Provide gentle reminders of daily tasks for students having trouble focusing
        
        Be flexible with deadlines for students whose routines and sleeping patterns may have been affected
        
        Give students honest, accurate and age-appropriate information
        
        Engage them in positive activities like volunteering, fun workshops to foster a sense of safe community
        
        Recognize and identify signs and reactions when students are triggered. Provide coping techniques
- - - - Kids who steal food from the teacher or classmates leading to punishments and hostile learning environments.
        
        Lower test scores due to trouble focusing when they're in a fight/flight scenario.
        
        Isolation, poor social skills, and depression as sometimes they're ashamed and don't have much control over their situation.
      - What Teachers Can Do
        
        Apply for the school to buy you saltine crackers if possible.
        
        Get in touch with the Resource/Guidance Office so when you contact parents, they can provide information about (1)food banks (2) methods to overcome sensory issues, or (3) methods to incorporate a healthy schedule.
        
        Plan a field trip or organize a student volunteer program for them to volunteer or contribute to community gardens and food banks.
        
        For sensory issues in young learners, teachers could...
        
        have a sensory exercise as warm up (play dough, smelling empty oil bottles, bubble wrap)
        
        preschool/nursery teachers can build up their tolerance by stroking or squeezing their cheeks so they can feel and adjust to the food's texture.
        
        nursery teachers can also work with parents to build tolerance to textures by working it into foods they like (broccoli mash --> steamed broccoli)
      - What Teachers Shouldn't Do
        
        Punish the kid who stole food (and assign them prison number 24601).
        
        Contact and shame the parents for their child's behavior and learning results.
      - Links and Resources used:
        
        Causes: https://thetraumainformedteacher.com/food-insecurity-and-trauma/#:~:text=If%20your%20students%20are%20currently%20living%20in%20a,home%20with%20bags%20of%20food%20on%20the%20weekends
        
        It's Effects:
        https://healthcare.utah.edu/the-scope/shows.php?shows=0_06s5mo3y
        
        Solutions:
        https://www.uah.org/images/pdfs-doc/Too-Hungry-to-Learn1.pdf
        https://yourkidstable.com/sensory-processing-and-picky-eating/
        https://resilienteducator.com/classroom-resources/hunger-pains-teaching-hungry-students/
- - - - Teachers should identify who a report should be made to. Depending on the location this could be school administrators, social services, or law enforcement.
      - A report should usually include:
        
        • Child’s name, age, gender, and address;
        
        • Parent’s name and address;
        
        • Nature and extent of the injury or condition
        
        • Prior injuries and when they were observed.
        
        • Actions taken by the reporter (e.g., talking with the child.)
        
        • Where the act occurred;
    - - Teachers can talk to parents about alternative ways to discipline their children.
      - Teachers should make a report to their school or guidance counselor so that they are aware of the situation and can take action if the abuse becomes worse.
- - - - Emotional Warning Signs
        Agitation, anxiety, or constant apprehension
        Changes in sleep habits (sleeping too much or not enough)
        Developing a drug or alcohol problem
        Extremely apologetic or meek
        Loss of interest in daily activities
        Low self-esteem
        Seeming fearful
        Symptoms of depression
        Talking about or attempting suicide
        
        What can teachers do? They can help children by creating a predictable environment, listening to students' stories, and assuring children and adolescents that whatever happened was not their fault.
        
        Knowing and watching for signs of possible exposure to violence
        
        No single behaviour proves that a child has been exposed to violence
        Teachers can look out for:
        
        bruises
        -changes in behaviour
        
        despression
        -mood swings
        -anxious
        
        Responding appropriately to children's disclosures
        
        The teachers first responsilbilty to follow the protocol of the school refer the child to the school psychologist
        
        List of References. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/progress-notes/201902/alarming-effects-childrens-exposure-domestic-violence
        https://www.facs.nsw.gov.au/domestic-violence/about/effects-of-dv-on-children
        https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Helping-Children-Exposed-to-Domestic-Violence-109.aspx
        https://nccadv.org/domestic-violence-info/children
        
        Support the healing process
        
        Teachers can create an emotionally safe place for all children to learn.
- - - - Types of Separation
        
        Parental Incarceration
        
        Immigration
        
        Parental Deportation
        
        Parental Military Deployment
        
        Termination of Parental Rights
        
        Many of which will be discussed further by other cohort members.
  - - - Physical Symptoms like stomach aches and headaches.
        
        Negative beliefs about oneself, others or events
        
        Difficulty thinking, attention or concentration problems
        
        Changes in Behaviour (i.e. increased anger, aggressiveness, oppositional behaviours, irritability, sleep problems, withdrawals)
        
        Self-Destructive Thoughts, Plans or Actions.
        
        Disturbing images of the separation reenacted in play/depicted in art
        
        Intrusive Thoughts
        
        Avoiding reminders of what happened (i.e. people, places, situation, or anything related the the traumatic events)
        
        Nightmares
        
        Negative changes in mood (i.e. sadness, anger, guilt, fear, shame, etc...)
      - Inside the Brain of Children Separated from Parents
      - Strategies to help children experiencing Traumatic Separation.
        
        Guide Caregivers on how to talk to the children
        Caregivers can speak to the child and see what they believe about the separation, and explore what the child believes will happen in the future. Caregivers should be honest with the child about what has occurred, and update the children in the event of any changes appropriately. Caregivers should listen to the child's questions and be sure to correct any misinformation or confusion that the child may have about what happened.
        
        There are a number of resources the teacher could provide the caregivers with to gain more information and knowledge:
        
        https://schools.aidr.org.au/media/4605/conrod_childhood-trauma-reactions.pdf
        
        https://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/resources/children_with_traumatic_separation_professionals.pdf
        
        Address Related Traumatic Experiences
        This applies to children who have experienced suspected abuse, neglect or domestic violence
        Ensure that you understand the circumstances of the separation from their caregiver, but also the traumatic experiences that lead to the separation. In many cases children need professional guidance and therapy to recognize and process this experience, so, do not be afraid to receive help.
        
        Here the teacher could also speak with the child's case worker, to fully understand the extent of the situation, if possible of course.
        
        Help child gain mastery over trauma related symptoms
        Mental health is just as important as helping the child adjust to their trauma related actions.
        Be sure to help them gain skills to help them overcome and master their trauma-related symptoms by teaching coping strategies and identifying trauma reminders that can lead to trauma responses. Helping them regain their own self-control
        
        Here teachers can build self-control skills by:
        
        Talk clearly, simply, and often about behaviors that matter. Thus helping the students understand that what they're going through is valid, but also how to manage their behaviours at school as well.
        
        Establish routines.
        
        Build in time for happy movement throughout the day.
        
        Call attention to attention. (here is where you help students gain focus on necessary learning requirements and tasks etc...)
        
        Encourage prosocial behaviors: This is where a teacher can help the child understand others emotions and how to identify and recognize them, they can also make these this a game, so implement game strategies that increase their ability to increase their self-control skills (i.e. red Light, Green Light or Freeze, etc...)
        
        Coordinate outside resources and referrals:
        Be sure to use additional support to help these children (i.e counselors, and professionals with knowledge of these conditions). identify people who the child can go to for support at home as well as at school that can comfort the child.
        
        I think it is important to note that teachers may not be professionals here, so we should always make sure to contact professionals, if available, to ensure that the teacher is helping the student as well as possible. At the end of the day the child needs support, and the teacher can be one of their main support systems in this situation.
        
        Monitor the Impact on you
        Remember that this won't only affect the child but also you, if it can be a challenging case and may affect you emotionally as well, these children need support, patience and understanding but so do you as well.
- - - - Students might suffer from depression and anxiety. Students might have severe mood swings (especially as the day comes to an end and they have to go home). Students might struggle integrating socially with their peers. students might have trust issues. they might judge themselves harshly. they might constantly seek approval.
    - - students might not be appropriately dressed for the weather.
        
        Clothing might be unwashed.
        *Clothing might even smell of alcohol.
        
        Students might be dirty or have skin infections etc.
        *Injuries are not appropriately attended to.
    - - *Students might be disruptive and act out.
        
        Students be aggressive towards teachers or peers.
    - - Students might be excessively tired and even fall asleep in class.
        Students might have learning difficulties. Students might rarely/never complete homework or assignments.
        *Students might have issues with memory, attention and concentration.
- - - - What should teachers do:
        
        For teachers, try to use positive words when giving students feedback, encourage them not afraid of mistakes.
        
        Help students understand that any emotion they experience is normal. If things start to feel out of the norm, they can seek professional help.
        3.Help students to develop strenghts and interests. Help them forcus on an area of their competence and encourage the development to contribute to positive self-concept.
        
        Try to encourage and support them to make their own decisions.
        
        Ref:
        https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/negative-feedback-shame-trauma-0807123/;
        https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychotherapy-childhood-trauma-mind-body/
        
        Signs and Symtoms:
        Shame , feelings of inadequacy, a sense of being less than, lack of eye contact, struggling to trust others,making friends easily, but fearing they won’t like you,fear of trying new things on your own,powerlessness,hopelessness and helplessness about your life
- - - - Start a fundraising project.
        Raise money to send to the victims of violence or terrorism that will help them make the difficult transition to normalcy.
        
        Demonstrate solidarity.
        Organize your students to create a vigil for showing solidarity with the victims of violence or terrorism. Post pictures of the event online.