Some adopted children clearly come from a background of abuse and neglect. Others are adopted shortly after birth and do not have any significant events we would label as “Trauma.” Yet both can suffer from PTSD. Even if they do not have “cognitive” memories of their past, they will retain “emotional” memories."
PTSD in children can manifest in a variety of behaviors. You may have been told by well meaning friends, “All children do that!” It’s true, all children exhibit some of these behaviors some of the time, but children with PTSD are “over the top.” They exhibit these behaviors to the extreme. If you have a gut feeling that something is not quite right with your child, listen to it. You know your child better than anyone.
Common childhood signs of PTSD include:
Child has extreme need to be in control
Frequent arguing
Sleep disturbances
Eating disturbances (hoarding food, using food for control)
Hyper vigilance/ Hyper arousal
Incessant chatter
Easily startled or scared of loud or sudden noises (loud toilets in restrooms, fire-alarms, etc.)
Always the victim – always assessing fairness of a situation
Always “right”
“Busy-body Syndrome” – have to know what is going on at all times
Lying – even when it makes more sense to tell the truth
View world as “me against everyone else”
When they have fallen asleep they have feeling of vulnerability – perceived loss of control
Self-destructive
Self deprecating
Reasoning skewed – lack of cause and effect reasoning – don’t learn from consequences
Triangulation – playing one parent or adult against the other
Lack of internal control
Self-Stimulation –Chewing, picking skin, pulling hair or eyelashes, etc.
Wake up ready for battle
Arrested emotional development
Extreme anger, rages (tantrums that go on and on, are violent, the child is inconsolable)
These children are often misdiagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, ADHD and other learning disabilities, Bipolar Disorder, Oppositional Disorder, etc. by well meaning professionals that are not familiar with the PTSD. Consider that your child has PTSD and seek appropriate treatment by a counselor that treats children with these issues. This is not something your child will “outgrow,” but instead tends to get worse over time. Often this is triggered as the child reaches new developmental milestones, such as puberty. If not dealt with in childhood, adults exhibit inability to establish good relationships, poor choices in relationships, self-destructive patterns, addictions, lack of conscience, sociopathic behaviors, clingy, attention-seeking behaviors, narcissistic behaviors, depression, feelings of isolation and “not fitting in anywhere.”