Examples of traumatic incidents include:

• Accidents (e.g., car crashes, falls)

• Natural disasters (e.g., earthquakes, floods)

• Violence (e.g., assault, domestic abuse)

• Sudden loss (e.g., death of a loved one)

• Medical emergencies (e.g., life-threatening illness, surgeries)

• Witnessing trauma (e.g., seeing someone get hurt or die)

Whether a child or young person experiences an event as traumatic will be personal to them and will depend upon many factors such as previous experiences, current environment, and level of support from others.

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• Parents and Caregivers

• Caregivers guide for looking after yourself

• Young People

• Children

• Coping Techniques

• Help if things don't improve

• Bereavement

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Some examples of scary or upsetting events:

• Being in a car crash

• Getting badly hurt

• Seeing someone else get hurt

• Losing someone you love

• A fire, flood, or big storm

• Being yelled at or hurt by someone

Examples of traumatic incidents:

• A serious accident (like a car crash or injury)

• Violence (such as abuse, assault, or witnessing a fight)

• The sudden death of someone close to you

• Natural disasters (like a fire, flood, or earthquake)

• Being bullied, threatened, or harassed

• Going through something scary that made you feel helpless

It explains what 'normal' is when life throws 'abnormal' circumstances at you. What you can do and when to seek extra help.

These are normal reactions to something that wasn’t normal.

What helps:

You don’t have to go through it alone. Talking to someone you trust — like a friend, parent, school counselor, or therapist — can really help you start to feel more in control. Healing takes time, and it’s okay to ask for support.

• Scared or worried a lot

• Have bad dreams or trouble sleeping

• Feel angry or sad

• Want to be alone or cry more than usual

• Remember the scary thing over and over

These feelings are normal, and they can get better with time. Talking to a trusted adult — like a parent, teacher, or nurse on the ward — can really help.

Our brains react to traumatic experiences by trying to keep us safe, we go into a kind of survival mode. These responses will usually settle as a child or young person spontaneously recovers.

Responses to trauma in children and young people can include feelings of:

• Shock

• Anger

• Fear

• Anxiety

• Confusion

• Loss

• Isolation

• Guilt / shame

• Denial

• Self-blame

• Numbness

• Irritability

  
  

These are normal reactions to an abnormal event.

For many, these symptoms disappear in several weeks, but some people may not develop symptoms until several months later.

• An accident needing hospital treatment

• Medical procedures

• Being in pain

• Physical changes to their body

• Separation from parents/caregivers

• Seeing upsetting events and other unwell people

• Periods of unconsciousness

Getting back to normal routines helps children feel safe. So helping your child or young person getting back to their normal activities - as much as their injury or illness allows. You can help be creating visual schedules or timetables to create predictability.

Boundaries

Boundaries also help children feel safe and secure so reinstating normal boundaries as much as possible is important even whilst they are recovering at home. It is especially important to think about screen time and technology which can have positive and negative influences on recovery and mental health.

Listen

Give your child a chance to talk about feelings and worries in a non-judgemental way. This can help them process what has happened. Respond to questions, misinformation or mis-remembered parts in a gentle, honest and age appropriate way. Younger children may benefit from using toys to act out some of what happened.

Promote independence

It is natural to want to do things for your child after they have been through a difficult time. Gradually support them to become more independent, as much as their injury or illness allows them too.

Plymouth: NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression | Livewell Southwest

Devon: TALKWORKS | Devon's NHS Talking Therapies Service

Cornwall: Talking Therapies | Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

If you were just visiting Plymouth, search NHS Talking Therapies in your local area or speak to your GP.

• Feeling anxious in situations that are similar to the trauma

• Intrusive thoughts and images

• A lack of concentration and decreased attention

• Sleeping problems and nightmares

• Psychosomatic effects such as stomach problems, headaches, feeling sick, bed-wetting, changes in appetite, and ulcers

• Feeling sad and withdrawn, worthlessness and hopelessness

• Difficulty with managing emotions

• Experiencing sudden strong feelings and not knowing why

• Finding it hard to trust others

• Feeling that things are not real

• Difficulties with remembering events and feelings

• Feeling disconnected from feelings and situations, “zoning out”

• Experience of being an outside observer of or detached from oneself (e.g., feeling as if “this is not happening to me” or as if one were in a dream)

However, it is important to note that every child or young person will experience trauma differently. Responses may also differ depending on a child’s age.

Here are some common grounding techniques:

• 5-4-3-2-1 method: Name five things you can see, four things you can feel, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste.

• Deep breathing exercises: Breathe in through your nose while counting to three then slowly breathe out through your mouth. Repeat until you feel calmer.

You can talk to your hospital professional if you are continuing to see them for follow ups or continued treatment especially if you think the trauma symptoms are getting in the way of their physical recovery.

If you child is in school you can also talk to school to see if they could recommend support.

If your child is in a mental health crisis and need to talk to a mental health professional urgently call 111 (Option 2) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to get through to crisis support local to you.

Other options...

•The Mix: Offering essential support for anyone aged 12-25. For their crisis messenger support service text THEMIX to 85258

•Childline: Support for anyone up to age 18. Call, chat online or email their crisis service. 0800 1111

•Samaritans: Call 116123 anytime if you need to talk to someone

•Give us a Shout: Free, 24/7 mental health text support in the UK | Shout 85258 (giveusashout.org)

•Papyrus: Confidential suicide prevention advice contact HOPELINEUK. Open 9am–midnight every day. 0800 0684141 or Text 07860 039967