Colorado Springs School District 11
Trauma Resources
Understanding Trauma and Supporting Children
Traumatic events can affect children and families in different ways.
Understanding common reactions and knowing where to find trusted
information can help adults provide support after difficult experiences.
Understanding Trauma
Trauma refers not only to an event itself, but also to the emotional and behavioral responses that can follow a frightening, dangerous, or violent experience.
What Is Trauma?
People often use the word trauma to describe a frightening or dangerous event. Not every frightening experience leads to traumatic stress, and people can respond to the same event in different ways.
What Is a Traumatic Event?
A traumatic event may involve experiencing or witnessing an immediate threat to oneself or someone else. These situations can leave a person feeling frightened, helpless, overwhelmed, or unable to protect themselves or others.
What Is Child Traumatic Stress?
Child traumatic stress may occur when reactions to one or more traumatic events continue and interfere with a child's daily life after the event has ended.
Children and adolescents can show stress in many different ways. Changes may appear emotionally, physically, socially, or at school.
- Strong or prolonged emotional reactions
- Depression or anxiety
- Changes in behavior
- Changes in eating or sleeping
- Headaches, stomachaches, or other physical complaints
- Difficulty concentrating or completing schoolwork
- Withdrawal from friends or activities
- Difficulty relating to other people
- Risk-taking behavior in older children or adolescents
- Substance use in some older youth
Experiences That May Be Traumatic
A child's response depends on the event, the child's age and experiences, available support, and many other factors. Examples of potentially traumatic experiences include:
- Natural disasters
- Serious car accidents
- Community or school violence
- Serious injuries or medical events
- Domestic or family violence
- Physical or sexual abuse
- Unexpected death of a loved one
- Witnessing violence or serious harm
Parent & Caregiver Resources by Age
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network provides practical guidance for helping children at different developmental stages cope after disasters and other traumatic events. :chatgpt-content-reference{index="1"}
Infants & Toddlers
Learn about common reactions in very young children and ways parents and caregivers can provide comfort and support.
View Infant & Toddler Tips (opens in a new tab)Preschool-Age Children
Review common reactions after a disaster and examples of ways adults can respond to preschool-age children. :chatgpt-content-reference{index="2"}
View Preschool Tips (opens in a new tab)School-Age Children
Find guidance for helping school-age children understand and cope with reactions following a disaster or frightening event. :chatgpt-content-reference{index="3"}
View School-Age Tips (opens in a new tab)Adolescents
Explore information for parents and caregivers supporting teenagers after disasters and other traumatic experiences. :chatgpt-content-reference{index="4"}
View Adolescent Tips (opens in a new tab)Additional Trauma Resources
These resources provide more information about traumatic stress, media exposure, and supporting children and families.
About This Information
The trauma definitions and supporting information on this page are based on resources from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. The existing D11 page identifies NCTSN as its source for this material. :chatgpt-content-reference{index="5"}