Introduction
The research question for consideration in this paper revolves around how to recognize and treat traumatic stress. This question will be discussed in line with the author’s specialization and professional interests in working with children who adverse childhood experiences have impacted. It is imperative to note that child traumatic stress is becoming a significant issue of public concern due to its long-lasting effects on a child’s emotional and physical well-being. This discussion will revolve around three themes: childhood trauma and its impact, screening and assessment of child traumatic stress, and intervention strategies for child traumatic stress.
Synthesis of Literature into a Cohesive Review
A total of three themes related to child traumatic stress were identified in the course of this study. The first theme to consider is childhood trauma and its impact. This theme focuses on the effects of childhood trauma associated with psychosocial functioning and physical health. Beilharz et al. (2020) noted that childhood trauma has a severe impact on emotional and physical health, sleep quality, and stress reactivity.
The second theme is screening and assessment of child traumatic stress – it emphasizes the need to screen for childhood adversity. Bartlett (2020) explained the need to develop and identify comprehensive screening tools for child adversity. According to the authors, healthcare professionals should adopt an evidence-based screening approach, one that takes into consideration the child’s trauma symptoms, development, strengths, and culture.
The last theme identified in the literature review relates to the intervention strategies for child traumatic stress. This theme requires care professionals to initiate early interventions to prevent post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in youth who have been exposed to a traumatic event. Kerbage et al. (2022) emphasize the importance of psycho-education and coping strategies for children and their parents to ensure family support and prevent enduring post-traumatic symptoms. These three themes aim at ensuring child traumatic stress is identified early, and proper interventions are initiated to minimize its impact.
Comparing and Contrasting the Resources’ Positions
The resources identified above provide well-researched perspectives on recognizing and treating child traumatic stress. On the one hand, Beilharz et al. (2020) study gave an overview of how childhood trauma affects different aspects of young adults’ lives. Beilharz et al. (2020) further emphasized the need to adopt comprehensive interventions. On the other hand, Bartlett (2020) discussed the importance of utilizing an evidence-based screening tool to diagnose child traumatic stress.
On the contrary, Kerbage et al. (2022), informed by Beilharz et al. (2020) and Bartlett’s (2020) results, highlighted the need to initiate early interventions following exposure to a traumatic event. In essence, Beilharz et al. (2020) and Kerbage et al. (2022) studies focused mainly on the interventions for child traumatic stress, while Bartlett (2020) concentrated on screening approaches. Overall, these resources provide insightful information that answers the research question regarding how to recognize and treat traumatic stress.
Synthesizing Own Position Relative to the Theme
Upon reviewing closely the three themes, this author agrees that recognizing and treating child traumatic stress requires a multifaceted and evidence-based approach. Based on additional research, it emerged that early screening aids in identifying childhood adversity – this is followed by providing timely interventions. Adopting a trauma-informed screening approach, as discussed by Bartlett (2020), helps ensure healthcare providers develop a clear understanding of a child’s needs and experiences. In doing so, the care providers are in a better position when it comes to providing individualized care as well as facilitating targeted support.
Once the care provider diagnoses the child’s traumatic stress, the next step is to adopt comprehensive intervention strategies as recommended by Kerbage et al. (2022). It is crucial that interventions focus not only on the child but also on the parents, as they play a key role in the recovery process. For instance, healthcare professionals should teach crucial parents coping skills, especially since they spend a lot of time with the child – this helps with mitigating the impact of traumatic events on children’s mental health.
In line with the above, there is a need to understand that childhood trauma can have severe consequences that may transition into adulthood. This explains why the focus should be on initiating preventive measures and, at the same time, facilitating continuous support and care throughout the child’s developmental cycle. Therefore, as a professional working with children impacted by adverse childhood experiences, one needs to integrate trauma-informed approaches to screening and interventions that aim at promoting the well-being and resilience of vulnerable children.
Conclusion
The three themes identified above provide a clear framework on how to recognize and treat child traumatic stress. For instance, the adoption of a trauma-informed screening approach, one that considers a child’s unique experiences, as emphasized by Bartlett (2020), is critical to identifying adversity and providing targeted support. Similarly, early interventions focusing on coping strategies and psycho-education for both the child and parents play an essential role in minimizing the future consequences of child traumatic stress. While this is the case, there is a need to provide continuous support, especially for long-lasting consequences that persist into adulthood.