Types of Traumatic Stress in Students by darcy higgins

Physical Neglect

bjjackson4 — 2022-01-14 15:58:13 UTC

What I am noticing with my students at my school is that a lot of my students are left to raise their siblings at night do the parents working multiple jobs including night shift. Although mom is doing what she has to do to keep a roof over her children head can cause a lot of mental stress on the older sibling. My students are forced to have responsibilities that kind of unfair for any teenager. They have to make sure that their younger siblings are all taken care of at night including being fed, have taken a shower, did their homework and all the while they still have to do their own homework or class assignments. Being that a lot of homework is virtual now some house hold has to share one laptop so if its a household of 4-5 sibilings the oldest may not get to do their work until late at night. So now they are sleep deprived because they still have to wake up early to get their siblings prepared for school that morning.

Some Strategies to cope with students who are dealing with Physical Negelect.
1. Identify the problem
2. Ask the student why they are missing class or sleeping in class.
3.Allow extra time for student to complete homework
4. Allow student to put their head down when assignment in classroom is completed.
5.Allow snack time

Loss and Bereavement/Childhood Traumatic Grief (written by Maiko Toyoda)

maikopie — 2022-01-15 03:18:49 UTC

Going through grief, unfortunately is a natural part of life. People have to go through loss and grief at least once in lifetime. People grieve when they lose a loved one and go through many layers of emotions. When loss is unexpected and happened so sudden, some people go through trauma, as well as grief. In order to overcome trauma and grief, it is important to seek mental health professionals and counselors.

Common reactions that children display during loss and bereavement are followed:

1. Having trouble falling or staying asleep
2. Feeling sad, depressed, and moody (e.g. acting out)
3. Irritable or hyperactive
4. Feeling numb
5. Feeling tired
6. Having trouble eating or overeating
7. Having trouble focusing
8. Avoiding social contacts
9. Misusing alcohol and other drugs
10. Struggling with school work
11. Complaining about physical symptoms, such as headaches or stomachaches

Bradley University n.d., Managing traumatic Grief and Coping After National Crisis, accessed 11 January 2022, .

There are five stages of grieving process that I learned when I was studying art therapy in NYU.
1. Denial
2. Anger
3. Bargaining
4. Depression
5. Acceptance
Recently, I also learned that people don't always follow these in order, and it is more complicating than this. However, I will still add these stages anyway here.

Coping strategies:

1. Find sources of support (family, school counselors, expressive therapies outside of school)
2. Bereavement camp (this was my summer internship!)
3. Communicate closely with caregivers
4. Create an "individualized personal-care plan" for students
5. Work on SEL in the classroom and make sure that all students learn empathy and how to take care of each other.
6. Be flexible and understand that self-care is multidimensional.
7. Read children books about loss and bereavement and even create social studies about coping strategies for young learners.

It is important to find a safe place for students with trauma to express their feelings. Some students have a hard time expressing their emotions verbally, so it would be effective to go through trauma informed interventions where students could express their emotions in creative ways.
My summer internship I did at CAMP GOOD GRIEF, there were specific art directives for students. For example, students created masks to express their emotions (outside-how they want to show their emotions. inside-feelings that they want to keep to themselves).
The school counselor needs to work collaboratively with the homeroom teacher and make sure that the students have adequate support they need at school.

There is also an importance of returning to daily routine for those students with loss and trauma. They need to make sure they have healthy diet and have consistency in their lives. In this daily routine, the school/teacher can include and encourage activities that are fun (e.g. playing games, playing sports, listening to music, reading quietly and etc...) and inviting for all students.

In addition to working collaboratively and seeking professional support, the school/teacher need to check-in in everyday basis and pay close attention to any changes in behaviors. Special time such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and birthdays are harder times for children who have gone through traumatic loss. Those special time can send them a big reminder about their loved ones that they have lost. Therefore, it is important to be mindful, stay flexible with academic assignments, and know that their negative feelings and behaviors may come back unexpectedly.

Homelessness

davidlogvin — 2022-01-16 01:18:56 UTC

Research indicates that 43% of homeless students repeats a grade, 25% are in special education, and 50% are failing academically.

Students who are homeless are three times more likely to experience trauma. Due to both their homelessness and the situation that caused them to be homeless.

The trauma may manifest in any combination of the following symptoms.
numbness and feelings of disconnect, disassociation, depression, anxiety, paranoia, nightmares, flashbacks, shock, denial, self-blame or guilt, mood swings, irritability, insomnia, fatigue, aches and pains, muscle tension, confusion, difficulty concentrating, withdrawing from others.

More often than not, these symptoms are cyclic: For example a student might isolate because of anxiety, and then become more depressed from isolating themselves, which can lead to self-harm, which could lead to further isolation, etc.

it is important to implement social and emotional learning programs to educate homeless youth on their mental health. Once educated, they can be better equipped to ask for help. After identifying underlying mental-health issues, these students need access to mental health professionals who can teach them how to cope with their trauma, as well as caregivers who have mental health first-aid training.

If students cannot gain access to professional resources then other options are rhythmic exercise, mindfulness, and finding a support system.

According to research, 87% of students who had professional assistance, said they felt it helped.

Of course, stabilizing the housing situation may be a prime way of reducing the trauma experienced by homeless students. There are programs to help families such as the four interventions being tested — community-based rapid re-housing (CBRR), project-based transitional housing (PBTH), subsidy- only (SUB), and usual care (UC) — These represent different approaches to moving families out of homelessness.

Strategies that can be used once homeless status is confirmed.

Ensure basic needs are met.
Complete an educational assessment.
Create a check-in for new students.
Create a buddy system.
Maintain structure.
Make time for assignments at school.
Monitor grades.

Racism, Sexism, and other forms of discrimination.

michaeladams17 — 2022-01-16 20:01:49 UTC

In the United States we have the Bill of Rights, which supposedly list all of mankind's inalienable rights. These rights include, the right to free speech, the right to practice any religion you choose without persecution, it mentions that all of mankind is created equal and with that being so, they all should have the right to pursue their individualized happiness, in whatsoever manner they deem fit.
In this country we have a long, conflicted history of what we see as right or wrong. However the Supreme Court has utilized the 1st ten amendments (BILL OF RIGHTS) as a guide of interpreting and providing protection of the aforementioned freedoms.
As man evolved, certain individuals were included as people, and an entire gender was looked upon as being worthy of having equal opportunity to stand on their own merit, ideas, and beliefs without the consent of their fathers, brothers, or husbands. This was not an easy task, many people have devoted their lives, to the struggle of protecting and obtaining these rights.
Luckily the founding fathers provided room for interpretation and the overall growth and civility of the figureheads, and general public inhabiting these lands. The constitution has 27 amendments, that allow or restate the fundamental beliefs of the basic rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. This is mainly due to evolution of popular ideas, and inclusion.
This evolution would not have occurred without education. It is our duty as educators to eradicate the backward thinking that has taken countless lives. In order to facilitate this awakening and push towards unified civility we must set the tone in not only our classrooms, but our schools. Below, I've listed two links that aim to facilitate that process. One is a hate bill protecting the rights of the LGBTQ+, I personally believe that a bill is not necessary, but as a black male I'm reminded of the amendments passed to convince people of my humanity, and that, I too deserve life, liberty, and the ability to pursue my happiness. The second link is an article that speaks directly to what we as educators can do to alleviate the ugly trait of hate.

https://www.lgbtmap.org/equality-maps/hate_crime_laws

https://www.safeatschool.ca/plm/equity-and-inclusion/understanding-sexism-racism-and-homophobiaeople of my

Parental Separation / Divorce

philipdeacy — 2022-01-17 01:52:49 UTC

Parental separation and divorce is an Adverse Childhood Experience which can lead to toxic stress and a greater chance of a young student developing adverse medical and social conditions in later life such as heart disease, diabetes, poor academic development and potential substance abuse.

The statistics for parental divorce in the USA are saddening.

l 36.6% of all marriages in the USA end in divorce

l Roughly one in two children will see their parents’ marriage breakup

l 21% of children are being raised without their fathers in America

l Children are more likely to experience behavior issues when parents’ divorce when the child is between 7 and 14 years old.

l Children with divorced parents are twice as likely to end up dropping out of high school.

Students who may be feeling the effects of parental infighting may show signs of are disillusionment, anger and being capable of melting down easily, which can affect students mental well-being and sleep patterns. Setting up a ‘safe space’ in the classroom where students can take a short break to calm down, de-stress and even take a short nap is necessary, can make a huge difference.

It is important for teachers to be mindful to the fact that not all children have a ‘traditional family’. Teachers should recognize that students have many different family settings and one should shape their lesson plans to be as inclusive as possible.

When working with parents and caregivers, we must also understand that they may also be trauma survivors. Parental separation and divorce is not only traumatic for the student but also for parents. Teachers should recognize that parents and caregivers’ past experiences may influence how they interact with teachers and school. Teachers should build trusting relationships with parents and caregivers as well as ensuring that the school is a safe space for students suffering with parental separation and divorce.

https://legaljobs.io/blog/children-of-divorce-statistics/#:~:text=36.6%25%20of%20all%20marriages%20in,without%20their%20fathers%20in%20America.

https://resilienteducator.com/classroom-resources/trauma-informed-strategies/

“Trauma informed in Schools” – PDF (found in the required reading)

“What are ACE’s?” Infographic (Found in the required reading)

Suicide Trauma

jumikim — 2022-01-17 02:15:47 UTC

Death by suicide is the one of major leading cause of death for students. This will lead to unforgettable impact to family and students. The effects of the death make their way into the classroom, especially in classes where the student was a member, or in classes where friends of the student are present. (Responding to Student Death/Trauma in Classroom)

It's not a common case but unfortunately our school went through once. Students responded all differently, some had severe impact from the incident, some are not.

The Signs of Trauma

Excessive anger
Unusual startle reactions
Loss of appetite
Extreme fatigue
Physical or verbal aggression
Difficulty concentrating
Low self-confidence
Irritability
Clinginess
Trouble making friends
Self-harm or suicidal ideation
Risky behavior
Running away

((https://www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/spring-2016/responding-to-trauma-in-your-classroom)

Responding to Traumatic Stress

Don't be afraid to ask how students are doing in relation to the recent tragedy
Modeling an appropriate response and that students may look to you for guidance
Be aware that some students may be hesitant to participate in a discussion of tragedy for fear their views will not be welcome, or that they may be overwhelmed by emotion
Try to return the class to a normal schedule as quickly as possible
Refer any student about whom are concerned to counselors
Consider bringing information on grief, trauma, loss to class

What can be recommended to students

Getting rest, eating well and exercising
Recognizing that your reactions are nomal
Talking to family and friends about the tradegy
Meeting with a counselor if this would be helpful

Emotional neglect

HarveyMilligan — 2022-01-17 04:15:59 UTC

Emotional neglect happens when caregivers fail to meet the emotional needs of children (Lawler & Talbot (2012)). For example, child may tell a parent about something that upset them at school, and the parent may dismiss the child's feelings as not important, or tell them to stop crying because "you're not a baby anymore". Needs may be ignored, invalidated, dismissed, or unappreciated (Ludwig & Rostain (2009)). If this pattern repeats, the child learns that their feelings are not important.

While extreme emotional neglect may be easier to detect, many cases are subtle. Teachers may fail to identify the signs of emotional neglect. Caregivers may not realise they are neglecting their child emotionally, and may be meeting the child's other needs.

Symptoms include:
* Being emotionally withdrawn
* Depression or anxiety
* Low self-esteem
* Low motivation or concentration
* Aggressive or defensive behaviours
(Holland (2021))

As emotionally neglected children mature, they are also more likely to have problems with motivation, substance abuse, or PTSD.

Some children find emotional support outside of their closest caregivers: with another relative, or another trusted adult. As teachers, we are also able to provide empathy and emotional support. Some examples of this include the following:

* Listening to the child calmly and without judgement
* Identifying and confirming the child's experiences, feelings, and needs
* Providing emotional vocabulary to help young children express themselves
* Being clear about plans you have in place to maintain the student's emotional safety
(Nickerson & Jimerson (2015))

If a teacher believes a child is being consistently emotionally neglected, it is important that they report the issue following the school's child safety protocols. The school may be able to arrange a meeting with the child and their caregivers in order to more fully understand the situation at hand. If the caregivers are receptive, there may be theraputic options available to help the caregivers better meet the needs of their child.

In cases of major emotional neglect, or when the caregivers are not receptive to intervention, a decision may be made to involve social services to evaluate the best course of action for the child and caregivers.

Holland, K. (2021). Childhood Emotional Neglect: How It Can Impact You Now and Later. URL: https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/childhood-emotional-neglect

Lawler, M. & Talbot, E. (2012). 'Emotional Neglect' in Encyclopedia of Human Behavior. ed. V.S. Ramachandran. Elsevier Inc.

Ludwig, S. & Rostain, A. (2009). 'Family Function and Dysfunction' in Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics. ed. W. Carey. Elsevier Inc.

Nickerson, A. & Jimerson, S. (2015). Supporting Students Experiencing Childhood Trauma - Tips for Parents and Educators. URL: https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources-and-podcasts/school-safety-and-crisis/mental-health-resources/trauma/supporting-students-experiencing-childhood-trauma-tips-for-parents-and-educators

Household substance abuse

darcyhiggins — 2022-01-17 04:51:57 UTC

When I lived in Appalachian Ohio, in the heart of the opioid crisis, a high school intern told me that we were the first people he'd met who kept jobs or did much of anything with their time other than get high. Many of my students were in foster care or other difficult situations because of parental drug use. Substance abuse is complicated because it leads to additional traumas, such as abuse, neglect, being put into foster care, or homelessness. An estimated 11% of all children in the US live in homes with substance abuse (Solis et al 2012).

Signs of substance abuse at home will resemble signs of abuse, neglect and other traumas. Students may also struggle with secure attachment with other people, expecting to be left. They may test adults to see if adults will be pushed away if they act out. They may develop mental health disorders.

Children living with substance abusers are >2x as likely to abuse drugs themselves (Solis et al 2012). But there is hope, because at least 50% of children of addicts do not abuse substances. To help students be part of that resilient half, it's important to watch for signs that a student is also starting to abuse drugs:
* Disconnecting from school, peers and other communities they're part of
*Changes in behavior for no clear reason
*Poor grooming
*Loss of interest in activities they liked before
*Changes in sleeping/eating habits

Ways to support these students:
* Be curious about why a behavior is happening; don't just punish or assume it is defiance.
* Make school a consistent, predictable space, in contrast to the chaotic environment at home.
* Maintain high expectations, but make sure they are accessible given the student's reality. For example, it may be difficult to complete homework if home is chaotic and unreliable; is there another way for the student to meet that learning goal?
* Relationship-building, both with adults and classmates, is especially important. Make space in the classroom to build positive relationships and safe space.
* Refer to counselor or children's services if needed
* Strong cultural identities have been shown to be a protective factor; support your student's identities in class.

Household Mental Illness

josefinalizettegonzalez — 2022-01-17 05:36:57 UTC

When depression, anxiety, schizophrenia or another mental illness enter a family, the emotional cost can be high and family members can be deeply affected. Depending on their circumstances, they may struggle to help a family member who doesn’t have access to care or may not want assistance. They will need to learn how to support and encourage their loved one, and cope with the range of symptoms and behaviors of the illness. (Pinerest).

When this occurs students may find it difficult to (RESPONSES TO TRAUMA):

Control their moods/emotions
Engage socially at school
Asses their own physical + emotional needs
Set + maintain safe + appropriate boundaries

Additionally students may showcase the following at school:

Withdrawn for friends + classes
Anxiety, Nervousness about PG
Anger, may pick fights
Reduce attendance
Poor grades + changes in performance

For parents/guardian with mental illness themselves, they may:

have difficulty attending to their child's needs
find it difficult to support their student academically, emotionally, etc.
struggle to maintain order in the household (behavioral management)
rely on their eldest children to support with household tasks

Ways Teachers can support students:
Once teachers are aware of the situations at home, we should have check-ins, open dialogues and share appropriate support + resources with the student and their family.
Some factors that can decrease the risk to children:

Acknowledge that their parent(s) illness is real and they are not to be blamed
Create a network of support
- Counselors, teachers the child trusts + listens to
Provide good coping skills to the child
- Resources from teacher/counselor/school
Provide extensions on assignments/homework

Resources:
https://www.pinerest.org/mental-illness-affects-whole-family-blog/

https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Children-Of-Parents-With-Mental-Illness-039.aspx

https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline

https://www.copmi.net.au/kids-young-people/at-school

Emotional Abuse

fruitflieslikeabnn — 2022-01-17 12:37:02 UTC

Emotional abuse is invisible but highly harmful to children's well-being,and it can cause lasting effects upon the brain and mental development. A list of situations that can lead to emotional abuse:

-Continually ignoring or rejecting a child

-Physically or socially isolating a child

-Forcing a child to do things by scaring them

-Exposing a child to domestic violence

-Constantly criticizing, humiliating, or blaming a child

-Constantly swearing, yelling or screaming at a child

-Making a child feel different from other family members

-Telling a child that they’re worthless, unloved or not enough

-Withholding love, support, praise or attention from a child

-Bullying, teasing, insulting or belittling a child

-Having unrealistic expectations or unreasonable demands of a child

-Not allowing a child to explore, express themselves, learn or make friends

-Treating a child badly because of things they can’t change (eg. disability, gender, sexuality)

-Threatening abuse or threats to harm loved ones or pets

Signs that a child might experience emotional abuse:

Avoiding or running away from home
Low self-image, self-esteem, and confidence-
Delays in development or decline in school work-
Often anxious, distressed, or afraid of doing something wrong-
Demanding, disruptive or secretive behavior
Extremes of behavior – very aggressive to very passive
Trying too hard to please or failure to connect with parents
Being withdrawn or having difficulty relating to others
Feels worthless, unloved or unwanted
Increased fear, guilt and self-blame
Lying, stealing or lack of trust in adults
Self-harming or suicidal thoughts
Drug and alcohol use

Ways to Support Students:

-Create a safe, supportive, and non-judgmental environment: utilize mindfulness by using calming classroom colors, essential calming oil diffusers, low lighting, and setting peace corners at school, as well as providing the opportunities to practice how to use them. Classroom discipline should also be in a way that is respectful, consistent, and non-violent. Additionally, maintaining familiar routines helps reduce unnecessary stress for children and adolescents who experience emotional abuse.

-Schools implement Trauma-specific interventions, and provide Support for Students Exposed to Trauma (SSET) program: SSET is a 10-lesson curriculum including skill-building techniques to reduce current emotional issues and to encourage students to cope with real-life problems and stressors. Furthermore, talking about traumatic events can help students overcome negative emotions.

-Build a support system: Teachers consistently do weather check-ins and create brave corners at school for students. Sharing their feelings is essential for students whoever experienced trauma. Likewise, use a buddy system to ensure that each student has a support person while at school. The purpose of the system is to bring hope that children are not left alone.

-Focus on strengths and positives: Students who have experienced emotional abuse can have a low self-image and self-esteem, so providing positive praise can enhance student confidence as well as make them feel good about themselves.

-Contact the school mental health professionals and local institutions to provide further support: Reach out to the school counselor when suspicions of abuse arise. Additionally, keeping the discussion transparent can make sure students feel comfortable and safe about the mandated reporting.

Resources:

https://kidshelpline.com.au/parents/issues/understanding-child-emotional-abuse

https://www.edutopia.org/video/making-students-feel-safe

https://schools.aidr.org.au/media/4605/conrod_childhood-trauma-reactions.pdf

https://resilienteducator.com/collections/trauma-informed-school-practices/

https://resilienteducator.com/classroom-resources/trauma-informed-teaching-tips/

https://traumaawareschools.org/sset

Bullying (by another child or adult)

anrinell — 2022-01-18 01:35:28 UTC

Bullying is unwanted and at times aggressive behavior between two people - this could be two children, a group of children and a child , or an adult and a child, that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. This imbalanced relationship can cause long term damage on ones mental health.
A major problem these days are students being bullied online. Watch this video to learn a bit more about cyberbullying.

There are three categories for bullying:
1. Verbal bullying:

Teasing
Name-calling
Inappropriate sexual comments
Taunting
Threatening to cause harm

2. Social bullying:

Leaving someone out on purpose
Telling other children not to be friends with someone
Spreading rumors about someone
Embarrassing someone in public

3. Physical bullying:
Hitting/kicking/pinching
Spitting
Tripping/pushing
Taking or breaking someone’s things
Making mean or rude hand gestures

Signs of trauma caused by bullying:

Depression and anxiety
Low self-esteem and personal drive
Trouble focusing and falling grades
Behavioral problems
Social and relationship issues
Substance abuse later in life
Self-harming behaviors
Unexplainable injuries
Lost or destroyed clothing, books, electronics, or jewelry
Frequent headaches or stomach aches, feeling sick or faking illness
Changes in eating habits.
Difficulty sleeping or frequent nightmares.
Sudden loss of friends or fear of socializing.

Signs of a child being a bully:

Getting into fights.
Vandalize property.
Wanting to drop out of school or skipping classes often.
Aggressive behavior towards adults.
Using alcohol before legal age, and using drugs.

Ways parents can support their child:

Ensuring the child is safe and seek ways to prevent future bullying experiences.
Talking through what happened and why, to help clear up misconceptions about their role in the traumatic event.
Teaching stress management and relaxation techniques, to help them cope.

Ways teachers can support a student:

A school should have an anti-bullying policy where the teachers and students are educated in how to prevent bullying, to speak up when it happens, and a protocol to act on it. Also this will help to develop mindfulness.
Teachers should be educated about trauma and its effects.
Promoting physical and emotional safety in relationships and the environment.
Reducing trauma-related triggers in the school environment.
Ensuring students and families have voice, choice, and empowerment.
Including SEL in lessons to help with emotional and social skill development.
Read this article if you want to learn about "6 Ways Educators Can Prevent Bullying in Schools"

I encourage you to visit stopbullying.gov for more information.